PROMO : FRANCE MUSIK

FRANCE MUSIK!!!!!!!!

PROMO : THROBBING GRISTLE "Gristleism"

The ideal toy for Christmas - I want it.
What is it? A small plastic sample box containing 13 samples of TG's sound, that you can play and detune. Absolutely useless, that's the reason why you'll need it!
More information on www.throbbing-gristle.com.

CHRIS & COSEY, Heartbeat + Trance (1981/1982 - electronic prehistoric future)

Re-up, higher bit rate (192 or 256, I can't remember).
Extraordinary debut albums by ex THROBBING GRISTLE members, also refered as CTI ("The Creative Technology Institute!) at the time. Their sound is a kind of experimental KRAFTWERK, same precision and balance in the production.
I prefer by far these albums to what they would produce later : as their sound became more complex, it was more common too.
The two albums are here on one link.

THROBBING GRISTLE, Heathen Earth (industrial / vintage electronics, 1980)

Probably the last TG album / performance I post - I'm not sure the 25CD boxset "TG+" is required, except for the absolute fans (who already have it).
"Heathen Hearth" shows the perfect mixture the band was creating in their last days: an ambient feel, raw electronic sequences announcing what Chris & Cosey would make the next year, and still "industrial" sounds. That's why I think it's the last TG album for beginners. And it seems to be one of the fans' favourite, so...
Try it here (before buying it for Christmas?)

THROBBING GRISTLE, CD1 / GiftGas (industrial, 1980 / 1975))

Re-post of CD1, 2 tracks (on the official CD there's only one track for the 2 "songs"). 128kbps only, I'm sorry, I've lost my CD and I can't rip it again. But CD1 is by far the best recording of the band, in my opinion, it's a perfect mix of hypnotic ambiant and industrial sounds, it's uncompromising and easy in the same time, if you need one only TG's album it should be this one. No specific information about when it was recorded (it was release after the band split) but the sound makes me think it was recorded the last year, in 1980.
You'll find "GiftGas" too, one of the many unofficial albums released in the last 20 years and, from those I know, the most interesting one. Long improvised tracks, with rough synths and distorted guitar textures. If you like their sound, you may love "GiftGas".
The two albums on this link.

THROBBING GRISTLE, 2nd Annual Report / D.o.A (industrial, 1977 / 78)

By request.
It seems everyone doesn't know well these 2 classic albums by the founder of "industrial music" - at this time, basic electronic equipment + guitar & bass treated by echoes and distortions, with more or less improvisation.
In my opinion, the "2nd Annual Report" (their first "official" release) is their best effort, the 1st side is outstanding - listen to the sound they've created from the guitars! D.O.A contains more various sources and styles, is considered as an absolute classic, but it lacks the basic shock you feel listening to "2nd Annual Report"
Well, find them here.

"SYNTH BRITANNIA" documentary

Very interesting doc about how "micro synths" (in comparison with early Moogs and ARPs) have defined the sound of electropop in the late 70s / early 80s in GB, with such bands as OMD, Human League, Depeche Mode, The Normal, Cabaret Voltaire, Throbbing Gristle etc...
Links taken from http://www.surrealmoviez.info


http://rapidshare.com/files/297799233/snth_brttnia.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/297810574/snth_brttnia.part2.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/297846792/snth_brttnia.part3.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/297846794/snth_brttnia.part4.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/297865916/snth_brttnia.part5.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/297865921/snth_brttnia.part6.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/297878228/snth_brttnia.part7.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/297878230/snth_brttnia.part8.rar

TANGERINE DREAM, The Vintage Years

Not an album, more a "collection" of 4 tracks, recorded between 1972 and 1980. The most interesting tracks date back from 72 and 73, very similar to the "Alpha Centauri" sessions and thus, in my opinion, quite fascinating. But side B, with 2 tracks recorded in 79 / 80, are very good too, what is more surprising.
The LP comes from a LP box set containing a replica of the single "Alpha Centauri" and the only single recorded by the first band Edgar Froese played in, "THE ONES" - I may post this too, later.
It's an LP Rip.
And it's here (VBR, 256kbps).

THE LEGENDARY PINK DOTS, Alchemical Playschool (2006, psychedelic tones)

NEW LINK (Sharebee)
Very surpising album by one of the major psychedelic / pop band of the 80s and 90s, less successful (in my opinion) in the 10 past years. After some psych pop albums typical of their style, this is an absolutly weird psychedelic tones album, recorded with a very "vintage" sound, that will probably bring you very far if you accept the trip.
Here it is - and don't forget the artists need your money, IF YOU FIND THE ALBUM BUY IT (maybe for this one it may not be easy...). Thanks for them.

PROMO : SIX ORGANS OF ADMITTANCE- Luminous Night

Wonderful "return to form" by my favourite band / artist of the 5 past years. This "single" is a great example of how moving he can be. All the albums he made (or so) will probably become "classics", and as for the others you have to get this one.

J'ajoute que j'ai rarement été aussi dégoûté, question occasion manquée, que pour celle-ci ; le concert à Paris la semaine dernière... Si quelqu'un a l'enregistrement, pour compenser un peu...

ELLI & JACNO, Boomerang (pop, 1982)

Yes, again.
There are reasons for re-posting this great album :
> some tracks were missing on my previous post, so here they are;
> it's an LP-rip again, but with a advanced sound card, and ripped at 320 kbps.
> and, most of all - all the french guys here know that - JACNO has passed away last week, at 52 years old. Sad sad news...

Et d'ailleurs on se demande bien comment il n'y a pas eu d'hommage plus appuyé sur cette disparition d'une figure rare de la scène française, dont la présence parfois fantomatique manque déjà. Alors on ré-écoute en boucle "Je t'aime tant", "Pour toi" ou "Roulette russe", les classiques de ce 2è album, dont la tonalité, appuyée par la photo intérieure, avait ce côté "hymne à la jeunesse" mi triste propre au début 80s. Et en attendant, toujours, une ré-édition propre en CD.
Enfin, comment faut-il comprendre le titre de son (bon) dernier album, celui de 2006 : "Tant de temps"?

Find "Boomerang" here.

RUDI ARAPAHOE, Echoes from one to another (2008 - ambient))

Not quite 'in the woods" this time. But not far. Beautiful ambient tracks, based on piano, harp and some eletronics. A bit too "new age" probably, but it's obviously the ideal music for cold nights.
Try it here and buy it if you can.

LUNAR ABYSS DEUS ORGANUM, Snovidenie (2006)

"In the woods" again. This time, with a music that goes far beyond what my english could describe. Just be warned that you should not expect any melody nor recognise precisely the instruments, it's a floating ensemble that typically seems to come "from the woods". Everything seems to appear randomly though, obviously, the music is not really improvised. Maybe it could be compared to some of the best NURSE WITH WOUND album, with more sensuality and sweetness. The ideal album for day dreaming. And here it is (192kbps).

PLANKTON WAT, Dawn of the Golden Eternity (2009, psych folk)

To be back or not to be back?
Well, there are so many things posted on music blogs - a small part of them are listed on TOTALLY FUZZY - that I really wonder if keeping on posting some albums here is not totally useless... particularly if you consider that from this point I may (or I would) post my favourite discoveries on other blogs, rarelly specific material of my own collection...

Well, thanks to "Microphone in the trees" blog and, initially, thanks to SIX ORGANS OF ADMITTANCE - the best psychedelic folk "band" I know - and, always, thanks to some krautrock ancestors (particularly in the DOM / AMON DUUL I vein), I'm in a "in the woods" mood. The music you find is sometimes referred as "american primitivism", though I don't know what it means exactly. Understand : more or less psychedelic folk, often recorded with a very basic production, sometimes more ambient, sometimes more electric, often with a tribal feel.

Here si a good example, with this album by PLANKTON WAT . If you like SIX ORGANS OF ADMITTANCE, this is for you.

PS : and of course you buy it if you find it - and of course again, you've bought the beautiful last album released by SIX ORGANS, a return to form after two albums that were not as good as I hoped when they were released.

ALAN LAMB, Primal Image + Night Passage (1995, drone))

So I'm back, probably not with the funniest music. First : with some drones I like.

Honestly, I'm not sure how ALAN LAMB have recorded those dark electric drones, it seems he has captured the sound of electric wires...
But it doesn't matter : the results consist in 2 great drone recordings, that one could compare to NURSE WITH WOUND's "Soliloquy for Lilith" with more tension.

Here is Primal Image, and here is Night Passage (at 192kbps).

MAHOOD, Granular Sintesis (drone / electronic soundscapes, 1997)

I was proud to discover that some of you guys have asked for a repost of my "Granular Sintesis" work, recorded 12 years ago (how can it be so far..?).
More or less 4 tracks (20 minutes), with the exclusive use of a basic software on my Performa 6200, called "SoundEffects". The only source of the sound is sine waves, transformed / cut with the effects of the software (particularly with the most complex, called... "granular synthesis") - except the sampled percussions on track 1 (the only track I really don't like, it's of no use).
I'm particularly proud of the 3rd and 4th tracks (and the transition between), the 4th track was one of my favourite at the time - very hypnotic if you're not irritated by the repetition.
Be concious that it's a really lo-fi recording : 11.000khz, 8bit, recorded on a basic 4 tracks tape recorded, transfered on MiniDisc etc... So if you try play it loud!
Here it is.

ITHACA, A Game for All Who Know (psych pop, 1973)

Excellent album discovered thanks to another blog, and I've finally found the CD (the original LP seems to be one of the rarest...).
I put it in the same category as english psychedelic pop masterpieces like MONTAGE or FUCHSIA - but ITHACA are probably darker, more mysterious, like a Brothers Quay's movie (or even a Burton). Very well composed, with a rich instrumentation, the only thing that can disturb is the girl's voice, bery weird (and very goth!).
Don't miss it! It's here.

The band has recorded one album 3 years before under the name AGINCOURT : same elements, but with a folk sound and not such a success in the result. I may post it if anyone is intersted.

LA DUSSELDORF, 3 albums (1976 / 1981, krautrock / new-wave)

Upon request #2
What can I say? I have no explanation for the reputation of these albums except that they follow the NEU albums.
In my opinion, whereas NEU4 had probably some qualities, the official albums released by Klaus Dingerunder the name LA DUSSELDORF after Michael Rother had left certainly didn't contain the same charisma and mystery as the NEU material. Instead, you hear some kind of pre-new wave music, very basically produced (in comparison NEU sounded almost deep), with voices that I often find ridiculous.
But these days I don't have time to find more interesting things to share, so ok for answering the request. Nevertheless, honestly I prefer by far the albums released by ROTHER under his own name - maybe for a later post.

3 albums :
"La Dusseldorf" is here.
"Viva" and "Individuellos" are there.

NEU!, Neu 4 (19.., krautrock)

Upon request #1
About when the album has been recorded, I'm not sure. Maybe between 1982 and 1986, after the LA DUSSELDORF episode.
Though far less interesting than the previous official recordings NEU, DIE2 and NEU75, NEU4 has its moments. But it's mainly for its historical interest that you'll download it.
here it is.

STEREOLAB, Margerine Eclipse Separate Mono versions (2004, pop)

Probably only for STEREOLAB freaks.
But it shoudn't.

As I told in my previous post, this pop masterpiece recorded in 2004 was mixed in "DUAL MONO", not in stereo, which means that each instrument is recorded on one channel only (left or right). In the end, it's definitly one whole new album on each channel.
I've made the job for you to make it easier to listen on you 2 speakers the 2 versions : there's the "left album" and the "right album", 2 mono albums that are radically different, although it depends on the tracks (am I clear enough?). Of course, the more obvious effect is that some parts are 100% instrumental now, one other is the absence of the classic Stereolab organ on one version - on the contrary it's almost too present on the other - etc... Some moments become absolutely beautiful now, with a kind of minimalism that is new in some way in their music. It allows to hear how talented they are too.

Take this experience as a re-discover of the album.

The 2 versions are here.

STEREOLAB live (2000 / 2006)

4 live shows that I may have already posted last year.
Listening again to their albums "Sound Dust" and "Margerine Eclipse" this afternoon made me want to share something about them, but I don't really want to share the original albums - everyone should buy them! Unlike many STEREOLAB fans, I really consider this pair as their best work to date, and as some of the best pop albums of the 2000 years.
And there's another thing : I've read that "Margerine Eclipse" was recorded in "dual mono" : one mono mix on each L/R channel. That means that there's virtually a different album on each channel - try if you can, that's absolutely true! Maybe I'll separate the channels and share each one later, as "2 alternative versions" of the official album - for the fans of course!

In the meanwhile, find 4 live performances here : the first two recordings were found on the web, their quality is good (they may be radio broadcast). The Paris live shows have been recorded by myself, the 2004 one being much better recorded (smaller theatre, new battery in my mic?) and very interesting, the best one in this selection in my opinion.
Click on the link to download.
Denver, Spring 2000
Munich, Muffathalle, 18.8.2001
Paris, Trabendo, 17.3.2004
Paris, La Cigale, 13.5.2006

DUMP, A Plea For Tenderness (1997, indie pop)

Same comment as for the other DUMP album posted here.
This one is even better though probably too long and not as various in the instruments and production as "That skinny...". In my opinion, it contains major pop hits that everyone who is in BEACH BOYS / BEATLES / BELLE & SEBASTIAN etc... will love.
here it is.

DUMP, That Skinny Motherfucker With The High Voice (2000, indie pop)

It becomes hard for me to post things more often than I do and be sure I'm sorry for this. I don't have as much time as I'd like to for the blog, and as I've said before I'm not sure I've got so many new good and "rare" things to share...
Well, here is an excellent "low-fi pop" album recorded by DUMP. DUMP is the side project of James McNew of Yo La Tengo.
It really has its own sound, with strange synths and low-fi production. You'll find a good collection of easy melodies and interesting covers. I'll post another DUMP album very soon.
For this one, here it is.

BEN'S SYMPHONIC ORCHESTRA, live Paris Pop'In, 17.12.2004 (french pop)

Re-up / extraordinary french pop band / pop side of AIR with more energy and without the synths.
Buy the albums somewhere here on Amazon.

à la demande de je ne sais plus qui, qui avait bien raison.
Le son est franchement pourri, le public (des potes?) couvre assez largement la musique, mais n'empêche des chefs d'oeuvre pop comme "From Hull to Hawai" (track 5) d'être aussi bouleversants que sur l'album ("Drifting", impératif dans toute CDthèque qui se repsecte).
On attend - on prie pour? - le troisième album.
ça se passe là (160kbps)

MASSTISHADDHU, Shekinah (1988, dark ambient)

I'm not sure I should have posted this : even it's a really good dark ambient (no electronics, only bowed instruments and percussions, or so it seems), it's certainly not very different from many other dark ambient albums of the area. The most known I think about is the exceptional CURRENT 93's "Nature's unveiled" (re-released this year on vynil and CD, buy it!!), and this "Shekinah" is obviously less intersting.
But... I don't know, I really like it - for dark moods.
Try it here.

MITTELWINTERNACHT, Mittelwinternacht '71 (1971, experimental krautrock)

"Krautrock" because it's german, it's certainly not the case in the music. Even if this only album made by the band (is it a band?) is probably more for the fans of early CLUSTER / KLUSTER and proto-industrial music made in the early 70s, it's not the hardest way to enter the genre. The world you enter is plenty of self-oscillating ring modulators, echoes and darkness, and it's quite beautiful if you accept it - very "good" trips if you're in it. TANGERINE DREAM made some tracks like this in their early years - those I love the most.
Perfect for my "drone area". Please try it here.

PI CORP, Lost in the cosmic void (dark psych, 1973-1976)

(Awful artwork)
Why haven't I posted this album sooner?? It's quite an essential album for those who love the darkest side of psychedelia. It's american, but I could largely compare it with some of the darkest krautrock albums posted here (SIDDHARTA, PATER NOSTER, AMON DÜÜL 2 in some aspects...). And it's very experimental in many ways, there are not so many "conventional" rock songs in it. It's also surprising to discover that it's a compilation made with demos assembled recently, because it really sounds as an full album (except some tracks maybe).
One would say that the recording suffers of basic and amateurish production. It's not false, but we've heard so worse elsewhere!
It's one of the 5 best albums I've discovered thanks to other bloggers, I hope you'll enjoy it.
And it's here.

MAHOOD, The Drone Album (part 2)

A small post of a 2nd drone I've recently made. Very basic recording, once more (sorry - I promise I buy a sound card for my Mac as soon as I can), so please if you try it PLAY IT LOUD.

For this occasion, the instruments were :
> Roland SH5 (synth)
> Roland CR78 (rythm box) plugged in Korg MS20 (synth)
> Korg MonoPoly (synth)

Played, recorded and mixed much faster than "part 1" in near live conditions. And it's shorter too (8'48).
You'll find it here.

Some of you seem to be interested, thanks!

Better Than Prince

FLAIRS, Better Than Prince

NO DOWNLOAD
Un peu de promo pour notre ami FLAIRS, dont l'album "Sweat Symphony" vient de sortir, et qui contient parmi les meilleurs titres electro-pop entendus depuis quelques temps. Le single Better Than Prince est correct, mais pas au niveau, par exemple, du hit absolu qui se trouve sur sa face B, "Truckers Delight".
Vivement recommandé donc.
Vous pouvez achetez l'album sur Amazon ici mais ferez encore mieux en visitant le disquaire du coin.
Enfin, l'animal est en concert le 31 mars à La Maroquinerie. Très bon en live!

:Zoviet*france : Popular Soviet Songs and Youth Music (industrial ambient, 1985)

I'm definitely in a drone mood, someone has suggested me to try a "best 50 albums" of electronic music, but I'd prefer a "best 50 drones"!
ZOVIET FRANCE is not exactly a drone band, they create ambient industrial soundscapes. If you've been on MUTANT SANDS several months (years?) ago you could download many of their rarest albums. What "Popular Soviet Songs..." isn't.
This is the CD edition, I don't know if it's different from the 1985 version (on tape?). Excellent industrial ambient music, most tracks are easilly listenable if you're used to hear ambient. Some of them are probably too repetitive, as sometimes in early ZOVIET FRANCE music. Nevertheless, those 3 CDs are highly recommended.
If you find it on the web, buy it : the sleeve art is nice!
You'll find the music here : CD1&3, and CD2.

PEOPLE, Ceremony : Buddha meet rock (1971, JapRock)

Thanks to a reader, here is the link where you can find many JapRock albums described in Julian Cope's JapRockSampler book - have I said that it's by far not as good as his KrautrockSampler, maybe because the music in the 70s is certainly not as creative in Japan as in Germany...
Anyway, I wanted to share here my favourite japrock album, the only album recorded by PEOPLE.
It cannot be described better than its title does : "Buddha meet Rock". Very pleasant, very well recorded, very peaceful and charming, on the whole completely meditative, rather dark and mysterious. In one word : beautiful.
To compare with a german band : it's probably somewhere between AGITATION DREE's "Malesh" (yet more peaceful) and YATHA SIDDHRA's "A meditation mass" (but more various).
And here it is.

MAHOOD, The Drone Album (part 1)

As I do not have any precise idea about what I want to share these days, here is the beginning a my own series of analog drones. I've recorded many of them since 1997 (first with an old 8bit "granular sintesis" software on my Mac Performa at the time), but few of them really convinced me - and what could I do with them until today?
This first personal post is more a collection of ambiant pieces put together than a real drone, but it's intended to be heard in a drone feeling. Some parts were played live when I played for PanSonic last year (you can hear them on the MySpace link "listen to my music").
Very basic recording (no mastering and basic mixing), and for the occasion the instruments were :
> Korg Polysix
> Korg Monopoly
> Sequential Circuits SixTrak
> Roland Juno 106
> folk guitar
> maracas.

If anyone is interested... here it is!
I may post a new drone each month, it may be more basic drones than this first post.

FLOWER TRAVELLIN' BAND, Satori (1971, JapRock)

I'm in a JapRock mood.
My favourite JapRock band (including the more most recent ACID MOTHERS TEMPLE, GHOST etc...), far better than most japanese band from the 70s - I think of the bands described in Julian Cope's book "JapRockSampler", some of which are ok but not so many...

For those who don't know them, THE FLOWER TRAVELLIN' BAND is a sort of Japanese AMON DÜÜL II, in my opinion. They share this idea of creating their own legend in their music, with killer riffs, very specific guitar playing and charisma in the singing. A difference is their sound, much more minimalist than A.D's and more heavy psych too maybe.

Even if "Satori" is not my favourite album, it's their best known and the album that the fans remember first, maybe thanks to its strong unity. Obviously it's a very good entry into the band's dark and menacing world. A must have.
So here it is.

ps : I've just read that it's in the top30 of the best albums of 1971 on rateyourmusic.com - it seems you won't be that many to discover it on my blog...

BLAGO BUNG, Kärleken & Döden (1981, indie pop)

I know absolutely nothing about this obscure swedish band, except that "Kärleken & Döden" seems to be their only album.
To say the truth : I've found it on another blog (Mutant sounds maybe?) and I just want to share it on mine now, because it's simply very surprising, naive and melancholic at once. It's composed of short songs with M or F vocals, it sounds like a mixture of 70s pastoral folk and 80s early dark electronics. Well, once more my english doesn't allow a good description, but believe me, it's very special and quite exceptionnal. You should try as I did last year.
And it's here .

AND ALSO THE TREES, The house of the heart EP (1988, dark pop)

The reason why I post this 14' long EP is that I've been looking for it for months on various blogs, as it's never been released in CD. At last, the best way to get it was to buy a used LP on the web! So here it is.
I knew nothing about the band when a friend of mine made me discover this EP, many years ago. We were fascinating by the 3rd track, the haunting "Count Jefferey", one of the darkest song I know. The obsessive synth sequence as a basis, the layers of strongly echoed guitars and synths on it, everything was perfect. Magic!
Another really good song is the almost instrumental "Anchor Yard" - I'm not sure you can find it on CD neither. Same mood as "Count Jefferey".
On the contrary, forget the title track on side A, not really bad but certainly not as interesting as side B.
Find this EP ripped at 192kbps here.

CHRISTIAN DEATH, The Scriptures (1987, death rock)

A concept album that confirms Valor Kand's taste for psychedelia, "The Scriptures" is also the 1st to contain many "not dark at all" songs. Many genres of music are explored, from horror film music (or sounds?) to cabaret songs to basic rock'n roll near classics - the cover of Hendrix "1984" is certainly too long but almost moving. The dark side is more in the tribal songs you'll find here too. I would say, after 50 krautrock albums post, that it's almost a kind of kraut from the 80s! In my opinion, a very good album - maybe because this is the one I've discovered the band with (on the contrary, it's not well rated on "rateyourmusic.com").
Let's say here that it's the last good album the band made - but i'll post the other albums recorded in the 80s, "Sex drugs and Jesus Christ" and the double concept "All the love all the hate" (an absolute failure that you've found earlier on this blog).
My rate for this one : 4/5
And it's here.

CHRISTIAN DEATH, Atrocities (1986, death rock)

After 2 albums that (for various reasons) were maybe not absolutely convinving, Valor - after Rozz Williams had gone - has probably produced the best album of his own CHRISTIAN DEATH. Even if it probably doesn't contain only good tracks, it's very tense, the work on guitars is really outstanding - sometimes it sounds like some analog synths or organs - and can remind the way it sounded in "Only theatre of pain". The general impression again is "death rock meets psychedelia", and there are some really moving tunes too : "Stranger Fortune" is a classic song to me, "Danzig Waltz" or "Chimère de-si de-là" are really convincing. The main problem, listening to this album 23 years after it's been released, is the way snare drums sound : much too loud and very 80s indeed! And the end of the album, with the cover of "Gloomy Sunday" and the dark ambient "Death of Joseph", is a bit too long.
My rate : 4,5/5
And here it is (at 192kbps).
ps : I couldn't find the almost black original artwork, so here is the copy of a re-release edition - same picture but very different and awful treatment.

CHRISTIAN DEATH, Catastrophe ballet / Ashes (1983 / 1985, "death pop")

Despite the lack of interest of my readers about CHRISTIAN DEATH' 1st (less than 60 downloads for such a masterpiece!!), I keep on posting their essentials recordings from the 80s.

About "Catastrophe Ballet" : second album and first major shifts in the line up, alas. Tell me if I'm wrong, but only the singer Rozz Williams is still there (with a completely different singing though)! A major change is the arrival of guitarist and singer Valor Kand, who would soon lead the band through the 80s until now. It's not a surprise that "Catastrophe Ballet" sounds so different from "Only theatre of pain" : not punk agression, no feedbacks in the guitar, no echo is the drums and organs etc... on the contrary, the sound seems dangerously monotone and polite. And what about the compositions? Well, one on two is good, the other is often too simple and boring (like the 1st track). But I confess that the overall ambience is quite coherent and intriguing.
I remember that those who liked C.D. were considering this album their best, maybe thanks to the lyrics that seemed mysterious and beautiful. I don't know, I don't try to understand the lyrics. But you probably speak english better than me...
My rate : 3/5
Highlights : The Drowning, Sleepwalk, As evening falls, Electra Descending.

About "Ashes" : roughly the same line-up for a more accomplished album in my opinion. Better produced and spacier than "Catastrophe Ballet", it doesn't work as a series of singles but should really be heard as a whole instead. The 1st side obviously is better composed, the 2nd side may be boring, to say the truth (the too long "Luxury of tears" and the spoken words "Of the wound" that don't really work...). You'll note that it's the 1st album where all the songs are not basic rocks tunes (the ambient "Ashes Part II", the cabaret "Lament" and the spoken words "Of the wound"), what would become a kinf of tradition for the next albums from the 80s.

My rate : 3,5/5.
Highlights : Ashes, Ashes part II, Lament.

After "Ashes", Valor Kand, who was invited to play the guitar at first, would lead the band alone, after founding member Rozz Williams had quit (at this time, he was told to have committed suicide... what he's finally done, but 15 years later).
Here are this 2 albums, in a single file.

CHRISTIAN DEATH, Only theatre of pain / Deathwish EP (1981 / 82, death rock)

It's cold outside, so it's time for a little goth cliched (more or less) music period. I don't know how long nor for how many abums it will be. Not too much...

Let's start with the ultimate "death rock" (american "batcave"? - anyway, nothing in common with "death metal") album, CHRISTIAN DEATH's 1rst. I love it, there's absolutely no humour here, nevertheless I don't feel there is so many cliches either. Well... The guitar is fantastic (a kind of early SONIC YOUTH's distortion and feedback style), the voice is very similar to Robert Smith's around "Pornography" era but even more desperate, the music is tense, well composed, a kind of "punk meets psychedelia in a cave". Many great songs, nothing useless.
Well, I won't tell better than this comment picked on rateyourmusic.com :"The beginning of everything we like is right here: heavy guitars, amazing bass lines, harmfull moods, desperate vocals which you really can get whatever Rozz is saying."

In the file you'll find C.D.'s 1st EP, recorded in 81 but released in 84 only. It sounds more like a demo, but a good one, and it features 3 songs that won't be on the album, particularly one of the darkest songs I have, "Desperate hell". Almost frightening! Great!!
Again, a right comment on rateyourmusic.com :
"Deathwish", "Desperate Hell" and "Cavity" suggest psychedelia, distorted hard rock riffs, existential terror and a horrifying intensity. "Romeo's Distress" adds romantic elements to the recipe, "Dogs" displays doom synths and electronic effects, while "Spiritual Cramp" is a punk maelstrom.
It demonstrates the formidable power of the first Christian Death line-up, and features excellent guitar and vocal work by Rikk Agnew (ex Adolescents) and Rozz Williams respectively."

My rates :
> Only theatre... : 5/5
> Deathwish : 3,5/5

No prejudice, try it here (ripped at 192)
Be warned : I will post most of the albums the various incarnations of CHRISTIAN DEATH have released, as they've really made some good albums.