Jubilee Offer: Patriotic Classics for £2.50 |
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
|
Product Description
Review
Compared to its successor, Parades is a more complex listen – where Magic Chairs introduced a greater immediacy to the Danish group’s chattering electronics and soothing strings, this set takes time to fully appreciate. It is not a record to pick apart into constituents, to shuffle into a new order; the way it moves from piece to piece demands that it is experienced in a single sitting. From the gentle opening voices – ghostly yet warm, detached yet embedded in a mix of sparking circuitry and teased percussion – of Polygyne through to the closing twinkles and thuds of Cutting Ice to Snow, it’s a whole that’s best left that way.
Singles were lifted from Parades, but the likes of Mirador and Caravan are best appreciated here, on their parent LP, than as standalone entities. That said, their videos are certainly worth a look – watch them on YouTube here (Mirador) and here (Caravan). The latter is a great example of the band’s use of lyrics as melodic tools as much as to convey any messages or themes. While the band does sing in English, the words can become indiscernible; but this simply adds to the air of mystery that surrounds this fascinating record. They are another layer to peel away, to digest in pursuit of understanding.
Tripper lays the foundations for what followed. It’s a more minimal, rawer-of-design release than either album after it, but will be of interest to those wanting to trace Efterklang’s progress back to their early, self-releasing roots. Those whose introduction to this spellbinding band was Magic Chairs are advised to seek out Parades first, though; especially now that it comes backed by the similarly styled, and similarly excellent, Under Giant Trees EP (2003’s Springer EP accompanies Tripper).
I’ve said it before, elsewhere, but Parades is this band’s Dark Side of the Moon – a wonderfully realised adventure through a singular musical vision. The band’s live performance of it, at London’s Barbican, is one of the best shows I have ever been to (the Copenhagen show was released as an album last year). It needs to be part of your record collection, and this double-disc version represents great value. Off you go, then.
--Mike DiverFind more music at the BBC This link will take you off Amazon in a new window
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
|
Customer Reviews
I think there is perhaps one duff song on the two albums - and by duff I mean flat. All the rest are spine tingling emotional epics.
Efterklang have a big classical rock sound. With fantastic vocal harmonies. Think Polyphonic Spree meets Arcade Fire but better.
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Listmania!
|
|
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
