Since its debut in 1986, Sam Rosenthal's black tape for a blue girl has developed an intensely loyal following among lovers of ethereal, darkwave and gothic music. With the scavenger bride, black tape continues the neoclassical turn introduced on its groundbreaking 1996 album remnants of a deeper purity, integrating a string section into the band's unique mix of lush, hauntingly beautiful keyboards and enchanting male and female vocals.
the scavenger bride, Black tape's eighth release, is a lovingly crafted album that tells the darkly romantic tale of a bride-to-be's decomposition and emotional restructuring, together with accounts of the bachelors who have wooed and lost her, all narrated by the mysterious Schavager. Set in 1913 Prague, the recurring characters and themes running throughout the thirteen songs nurture black tape for a blue girl's first true "concept album."
Inspired in part by the writings of Franz Kafka and the artworks of Marcel Duchamp, lyricist/songwriter Rosenthal designed the extensively illustrated 24 page booklet of photos, lyrics and stories to enhance his deeply moving tale of a bride and her suitors.
From the bewitching, percussive Middle Eastern textures of "all my lovers" to the dark, writhing synths and tortured lyrics of the epic "like a dog/letter to brod" . . . from the brief, absurdist visions of "the whipper" and "the doorkeeper" to the neoclassical "the scavenger bride" . . . this album is like nothing you've ever heard before. Yet, these emotionally intense songs are classic black tape for a blue girl.
Rosenthal's layered electronics and piano are complemented by the lovely voice of Elysabeth Grant. Grant's sensual and moving vocals - populated by the new loves and shattered dreams of Rosenthal's evocative lyrics - soar and scream, caress and wound. The warm baritone of Audra's Bret Helm and crooning tenor of Spahn Ranch's Athan Maroulis futher develop the world of the scavenger bride.
Strings and flute mix with ethereal elements, resulting in the intimate feel of contemporary chamber music combined with the power and richness of a romantic symphony. Tracks fleshed out by the string section of Vicki Richards (violin), Grant (viola) and Julia Kent (ex-Rasputina, cello) meld with songs highlighting the flute of Lisa Feuer (who is also the album's cover star).
With the scavenger bride, Rosenthal pushes black tape's instrumentation a step further, adding gorgeous dulcimer, mandolin and percussion from Unto Ashes' Michael Laird, as well as acoustic guitars from Helm and electric guitar from Judith's Christopher David.
Over the last 16 years, Rosenthal and his ensemble have created a memorable series of delicately crafted ethereal panoramas. Black tape has always tempered sensuality with sadness and beauty, and their latest release perfectly reflects this dichotomy.
Source: http://www.thescavengerbride.com/cdpress.html |
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