Stacey Campbell's Spider Lilies project first began in 1999 with a single track produced and put on the internet by Rogue of The Cruxshadows before Campbell was ultimately asked to join Rogue band and Spider Lilies was put on hold until 2003. After about two years the band really got rolling with their 2005 three-track EP (a release I was fortunate enough to hear) and 2006 debut album, In The Light (the same year the band added guitarist/co-songwriter William Smith, also) . Though the early material was really solid with a great tone and atmosphere, this 2009 sophomore album is for sure the band's strongest release yet. Cyclogenesis marks the band's move towards more "club-friendly" music but without sacrificing any artistic credibility as the songs retain a great poetic quality to them with interesting subject matter that combines that great epic imagery of the aforementioned Cruxshadows with a real strong sense of spirituality. In getting towards that danceable atmosphere it seems like Campbell and Smith really tapped an 80's sensibility with elements of Animotion, Siouxsie & The Banshees, and Dead Can Dance. Its also nice to see Campbell and Smith show off their musical talents covering the vast majority of the performing on the album with contributions on the track "Mirror In The Dark" (perhaps the most touching song on the album) by live keyboardist Connor Clay and violin work by former Cruxshadows band-mate Rachel McDonnell. One of my favorite things about the album is the strong presence of guitars throughout (something that shouldn't be surprising given that both Campbell and Smith are accomplished guitarists), that has been sorely lacking on a lot of electronic-based bands in the last ten years. This album was clearly put together with such care and thought that listeners should make the same effort when playing this album. Favorite Tracks: Pay, Surgery, Metaphor, Mirror In The Dark, and Soft Green Eyes
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Album a Day: Spider Lilies - Cyclogenesis
Stacey Campbell's Spider Lilies project first began in 1999 with a single track produced and put on the internet by Rogue of The Cruxshadows before Campbell was ultimately asked to join Rogue band and Spider Lilies was put on hold until 2003. After about two years the band really got rolling with their 2005 three-track EP (a release I was fortunate enough to hear) and 2006 debut album, In The Light (the same year the band added guitarist/co-songwriter William Smith, also) . Though the early material was really solid with a great tone and atmosphere, this 2009 sophomore album is for sure the band's strongest release yet. Cyclogenesis marks the band's move towards more "club-friendly" music but without sacrificing any artistic credibility as the songs retain a great poetic quality to them with interesting subject matter that combines that great epic imagery of the aforementioned Cruxshadows with a real strong sense of spirituality. In getting towards that danceable atmosphere it seems like Campbell and Smith really tapped an 80's sensibility with elements of Animotion, Siouxsie & The Banshees, and Dead Can Dance. Its also nice to see Campbell and Smith show off their musical talents covering the vast majority of the performing on the album with contributions on the track "Mirror In The Dark" (perhaps the most touching song on the album) by live keyboardist Connor Clay and violin work by former Cruxshadows band-mate Rachel McDonnell. One of my favorite things about the album is the strong presence of guitars throughout (something that shouldn't be surprising given that both Campbell and Smith are accomplished guitarists), that has been sorely lacking on a lot of electronic-based bands in the last ten years. This album was clearly put together with such care and thought that listeners should make the same effort when playing this album. Favorite Tracks: Pay, Surgery, Metaphor, Mirror In The Dark, and Soft Green Eyes
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