Dead Can Dance - where to start?!

Scubadevils

So I finally clicked on a Dead Can Dance track on youtube and promptly got blown away. I decide then that I'll treat myself to one of their albums only to find they have a fair amount! Any suggestions as to where to start?

This is what I listened to and was hit hard by it I must say!

Dead Can Dance - The Host Of Seraphim

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CXjms2vIQk

old gregg

crikey i'd know little about them myself. But, if it's any help, at times like these I sometimes do an Amazon UK search for a new to me band and see what others are rating highly and why.
'The Serpent's Egg' which has your chosen track on it gets 5 stars so that's where I'd start ... linkee ... unless you went for 'Into The Labyrinth' which also gets 5.

There's likely flaws in my approach but it often gives me a starting point from which to explore.

jiltloop

Ah so thats who does that song! I used to have that song recorded on tape from the radio and never could find out who it was. It's fairly beautiful to be fair.

Scubadevils

old gregg wrote: »

crikey i'd know little about them myself. But, if it's any help, at times like these I sometimes do an Amazon UK search for a new to me band and see what others are rating highly and why.
'The Serpent's Egg' which has your chosen track on it gets 5 stars so that's where I'd start ... linkee ... unless you went for 'Into The Labyrinth' which also gets 5.

There's likely flaws in my approach but it often gives me a starting point from which to explore.

Yes a very good approach and one that works for me too... I tend to normally go between discogs and Amazon for reviews - discogs mostly for electronica releases and I look out for different members that I see often rating music and tend to use their ratings as a guide... rarely fails me!

Went out on a limb today and picked up 'Spleen & Ideal' - good so far but not mind-blowing, could be a grower though... Might just have to wander down to Tower again tomorrow and pick up The Serpents Egg!

jiltloop wrote: »

Ah so thats who does that song! I used to have that song recorded on tape from the radio and never could find out who it was. It's fairly beautiful to be fair.

Yeah its a lovely piece of music, and quite fitting to the video.

c_o_ck p_i_ss chillage

Dead Can Dance, The Smiths and Depeche Mode were my biggest influences growing up in the 80s. I started with "Within The Realm Of A Dying Sun" then "The Serpents Egg" so why don't you? :-)
Btw they are two amazing albums.

Scubadevils

c_o_ck p_i_ss chillage wrote: »

Dead Can Dance, The Smiths and Depeche Mode were my biggest influences growing up in the 80s. I started with "Within The Realm Of A Dying Sun" then "The Serpents Egg" so why don't you? :-)
Btw they are two amazing albums.

Went to pick up 'The Serpents Egg' today in Tower but they didn't have it, must order online.

I was another Smiths fan in the 80s - well, towards the end of the 80s... along with The Cure. Amazed I didn't come across Dead Can Dance or the Cocteau Twins who are another late discovery for me.

Hermy

I have Toward The Within on DVD - it's fantastic.

The videos for The Host of Seraphim and Yulanga are among the extras included.

old gregg

would you see it as a good intro to DCD?
Live albums can sometimes be that way I reckon

DominoDub

I see Brendan is playing the Tripod very soon, shame I will have to miss this as I will be in Italy.

BRENDAN PERRY (Dead Can Dance)

26 May 2010

Tripod

...& Band

Doors: 7:30pm

Tickets €24.50/29.50 including booking fee from www.ticketmaster.com, Road Records, City Discs, Chocolate Bar, and usual outlets

CHECK TICKET AVAILABILITY

Former Dead Can Dance main man BRENDAN PERRY is set to include three Irish headliners on the world tour of his upcoming second solo album this May.

Beginning with Dublin's TRIPOD on Wednesday May 26th, Perry will treat fans in Dublin, Cork, and Galway to a preview of his new album "Ark", as well as playing tracks from his days as one half of classic folk outfit Dead Can Dance.

**Tickets for the TRIPOD show go on sale this Monday 12th April**

Perry plays The Pavillion, Cork on Thursday May 27th, and Roisin Dubh, Galway on Friday May 28th.

POD presents
BRENDAN PERRY (Dead Can Dance)
& BAND

www.myspace.com/brendanperry
www.brendan-perry.com

Dead Can Dance released a total of nine albums including a live concert video album over a period of sixteen years to considerable public and critical acclaim. It was whilst writing what was to become their ninth studio album that it was mutually decided that Brendan Perry and Lisa Gerrard would end their musical collaboration as Dead Can Dance in order to pursue separate solo careers.

In 1997 Brendan scored the music for the film 'Sunset Heights' by the director Colm Villa. Set in the near future in Derry City, Ireland, it tells the story of two rival gangs and the people who become caught up in the ensuing violence.

Although Eye Of The Hunter was released in October 1999, Brendan began work on the album while Dead Can Dance were still active � the idea was inspired, in part, by his incredible solo performance during 4AD's 13 Year Itch celebrations at the ICA in 1993. Boasting lush production sensibilities and a boundary-defying spirit, Eye Of The Hunter offered an immediate familiarity to fans of Dead Can Dance's unique sound world. But there were difference in the manner the music was made, and also how it was presented.

Though Dead Can Dance employed vocals, the duo's goal was to express emotions beyond language. Their recording process was also open to improvisation, Brendan and Lisa letting the music lead them to its destination. In contrast, Eye Of The Hunter's vignettes were written � crafted � using a more traditional singer / songwriter process. The music, centered around Brendan's thoughtful and restrained guitar playing, provided a backdrop for his deep, gentle vocals. And while much of Dead Can Dance's work eluded categorisation, Brendan embraced it, making a folk record in the truest sense: these songs � each one its own story but each also contributing to an overall theme � were rooted in his life experiences.

Eye Of The Hunter was recorded at Brendan's Quivvy Church studio in County Cavan in Ireland. It's a relatively isolated setting � one which allows its owner space to pursue his interests, which range from music to astronomy and archery to arboriculture.

Dead Can Dance's music often suggested a search for meaning and sense in the world, and Brendan has taken up a similar journey. But instead of looking at the external world, he has decided to explore the inner world of his own private universe.

"People have multiple personalities which are always evolving," he says. "This record deals with the different facets of my own personality."

Eye Of The Hunter's deeply personal songs explore the theme of loss � both of life and love � but they are not bereft of hope. 'Saturday's Child,' which opens the record, poignantly describes the changing relationship between Brendan and his father after the latter suffered two debilitating strokes. 'Sloth' deals with time lost to anger, addiction and inertia, preventing us from achieving our true potential. 'The Captive Heart' deals with the attempt to keep love afloat over a long distance. A cover of Tim Buckley's 'Must Have Been Blind' features one of the record's more extravagant arrangements, with layers of pedal steel supporting Brendan's soaring vocals. An emotional centrepiece is the haunting, autobiographical 'Voyage of Bran'. Brendan Perry toured Europe and North America in support of Eye Of The Hunter.

Brendan's passion for percussion began to take root in the latter part of the 90's in the form of private workshops teaching Afrocuban and West African Manding percussion styles at Quivvy Church to international visitors. This in turn culminated in the creation of a community based Samba School, The Salamanders, which he set up to encourage local interest and involvement in Afro-Brasilian and Batucada rhythmic traditions.

In April 2003 he oversaw the creation of an international Samba festival in Belturbet, combining Capoeira and dance workshops, musical performance and cinema which helped to cement Belturbet's reputation as a centre for the arts in County Cavan.

In 2005 Brendan and Lisa briefly reformed Dead Can Dance for a final farewell world tour, headlining at The Hollywood Bowl and Radio City, New York, accompanied by a 40 piece chamber orchestra conducted by Jeff Rona. Two new songs were written especially for this tour, 'Babylon' an indictment of the US political war machine and 'Crescent' a life affirming ode to nature and the human spirit. Studio versions of these songs appear on Brendan's new album Ark which is due to be released in mid 2010.

keith downey

'Into The Labyrinth'

Just for this classic alone. Such a beautiful track. Played it many times on the radio.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtNFQ7RJbaQ

moonboy

my vote goes for serpent's egg too.

how and ever, a slight off-shoot to dead can dance is the cocteau twins. and furthering from that, an album called 'The Moon and the Melodies' is really one of my favourites of all time.

oh and the track that got me into DCD and still to this day sends shivers when i hear it is 'saltarello'. i think its actually an old old old traditional tune. but nonetheless, got me into dead can dance in a huge way.

Hermy

old gregg wrote: »

would you see it as a good intro to DCD?
Live albums can sometimes be that way I reckon

I think the Towards The Within DVD is a great place to start because it brings together so many of the various elements of Dead Can Dance, the song writing, the vocalising, the instrumentation, plus the more ambient side gets an airing in the bouns tracks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pt1XL8WZFaY

Scubadevils

moonboy wrote: »

my vote goes for serpent's egg too.

how and ever, a slight off-shoot to dead can dance is the cocteau twins. and furthering from that, an album called 'The Moon and the Melodies' is really one of my favourites of all time.

oh and the track that got me into DCD and still to this day sends shivers when i hear it is 'saltarello'. i think its actually an old old old traditional tune. but nonetheless, got me into dead can dance in a huge way.

Yeah I got into the Cocteau Twins alright a couple of years back... absolutely love 'The Moon & The Melodies', amazing album.

Still haven't got the Serpents Egg!

Scubadevils

I've watched this about ten times since seeing it yesterday for the first time, amazing... also from 'Towards the Within'... Have to get that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itwL5y0He-k

jiltloop

Agreed! Found that last week and its an incredible piece of music. I've listened to it a good number of times myself!

Elliemental

Scubadevils wrote: »

So I finally clicked on a Dead Can Dance track on youtube and promptly got blown away. I decide then that I'll treat myself to one of their albums only to find they have a fair amount! Any suggestions as to where to start?

This is what I listened to and was hit hard by it I must say!

Dead Can Dance - The Host Of Seraphim

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CXjms2vIQk

Within The Realm of the Dying Sun, is a personal favourite. It seems to be a firm favourite with fans in general, as well. I'd start there. Into The Labrynth was great, too, though.

TheBardWest

Another huge DCD and Brendan Perry fan, here. I'm in Wicklow Town - if anyone here is interested in musical collaborations along these lines, let me know!