Venuscape
Vequinox : Planetary Harmony (UK,2005)**°'
Grown up with its musical interests for a huge part in the eighties, while having heard things like wavepop, Dead Can Dance, Celtic music, and the early development of neo-folk, the group leans for one part on certain darker and downer and kept simple inspirations of neo-folk while using some other elements besides coming forth from some different instrumentations (like sitar, tanpura or tabla), in a rather simplified way, while having nearby some lighter acidfolk balanced inspirations too, besides a few other attempts of styles. Their music sounds best and most rewarding when using the bowed psaltery in combination with a rather Spanish guitar interpretation, eventually with extra other elements like flute. Lisa’s voice could reach some Lisa Gerard associations (which she does just once in one song), but she does not use this association very much. Most often sad songs are performed, of which the sadness in Chad’s voice fits them very well (“Edward”). “This old Town” reveals acidjazz inspirations, with trumpet (like cornet), rhythms and a bit of sitar. The inspirations are a bit divided which leaves me with a bit of a sad feeling because the most inspired moments that way don’t come out in a most ideal and uplifting way.
