A Winged Victory for the Sullen – A Winged Victory for the Sullen

There’s a feel that some of the long passages, however carefully played inadvertently drift into some kind of late nineteenth century romanticism in spirit; Liszt, Brückner, that stuff you know?

There’s a feel that some of the long passages, however carefully played inadvertently drift into some kind of late nineteenth century romanticism in spirit; Liszt, Brückner, that stuff you know?

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Seven pieces all with long, emotive titles doubtless seeking to put you in some romantic and catatonic state (for 40 minutes or so, at least). There’s a feeling of those old Cocteau Twins LPs where it was all about the mood, and the gesture.  The cover is sensual too, and keeps the record from feeling like some academic exercise. 

Musically the pieces are as long and drawn out as their titles… If I was concerned about fleshing out a review I certainly couldn’t go wrong with quoting the opener’s title a few times, namely… We Played Some Open Chords and Rejoiced for the Earth had Circled the Sun Yet Another Year. Golly. But flippancy aside this is patient, seductive music, happy to make simple and clear contact with the listener, for however long the apparition of the Muse lasts, and seemingly drawing on the likes Gorecki and The Cocteau Twins, Rodelius and Mahler to indicate a pathway.

There’s a feel that some of the long passages, however carefully played inadvertently drift into some kind of late nineteenth century romanticism in spirit; Liszt, Brückner, that stuff you know? It’s the grand piano I’m sure. There’s a feeling of Central Europe before the First War, redolent of ballrooms and boulevards, ghostly echoes in pieces like Requiem for the Static King (Parts One and Two) and Steep Hills of Vicodin Tears that have melancholy and regret seeping from them like a low rolling fog. And Symphony Pathétique is a beautiful, patient ending that has something of a lullaby about it.

Beautiful is somnolent release.