THIS IS FIRE

I am quite amazed I´m writing first review of this great bands any album here! Yeah, I know, lots of great bands in the world, also lots of bands here Progarchives that got no or really few ratings. But here are neofolk fans that have written reviews about Faun Fables and Current 93, hard to believe they´re not aware of this excellent band. One reason can be, that people have listened this bands first (or maybe also second) album and thought this is not their band. Specially first album is really scary, also voice of Georgia Vallas reminds a lot Yoko Ono. I like her voice, but have to say I am glad most of the vocals in this masterpiece are sung by Kathleen Baird and Taralie Peterson. I think prog folk is right category here, but on the other hand RIO/Avant would not also been wrong because this band´s experimental nature. In Discogs this bands albums has put into rock, acoustic, avantgarde, neofolk, world & country, psychedelic, experimental and ethereal. I find no rock from this band, but all those other categories just tells how personal this band is. This is last album, where all four original members are together, although Taralie´s sister Tracy wasn´t in the first album. After the next album also Georgia Vallas left the band and they continued as duo. All the way this album is much more melodic than the scary first one.

I am using this review different track order that is in the Daffodelic vinyl re-issue from 2010. Progarchives claims there came vinyl version also in 2006, but if that really exists, it´s really rare because there is no mention about it in Discogs. The best comes at first: "Spike Fiddle Song" is the one that really hit me from this band! It starts with Taralie Peterson slide guitar, soon Katheleen starts her beautiful vocals and also picks spike fiddle. There also really great percussion work from Tracey Peterson. Electric guitar sounds a lot of Sonic Youth in it´s calmest. Very melodic song! In "Clouds" direction changes into scary reminding their earlier albums. Taralie Peterson is playing lap harp with bow, also picking it. In vinyl next is "Sea Shanty". It´s very shamanistic piece and in the middle it´s sounding Kathleen and some other woman is in a trance. Again great percussion work from Tracey, there is awesome forward going rhythm that might be 5/12 beat. "Let the Crows Fly" ends the a-side in a very beautiful and sad way. Taralie sings so lovely way, in the middle the intensity rises in vocals and also music.

"Morning Songs" has three very different parts. In the begin feeling is like in a some misty morning, then starts very hysteric folk where Georgia Vallas trembling voice fits perfectly! In the end song changes beautiful with Kathleen vocals. "Sleeplike" is another top piece in this album. It´s percussion sounds reminds a lot Harry Partch works, which is very rare in popular music, I think only Tom Waits has managed to capture his sounds earlier! But album continues in a very terrific way, "Desert Mind" has Kathleen in harmonium that really reminds Nico´s work. But in the middle song goes into very great new melody part, where guitar and banjo plays so magnicifent chords. "Bee Forms" ends the vinyl really majestic way. It´s the scariest piece, you feel like you are in the empty, dark & cold house where absolutely is haunting! Tarlies vocals sounds like she´s lost everything and became totally mad.

Really a depressive masterpiece! I believe this bands music would be too gloomy to me if they used electric instruments, but their acoustic great sounding instruments make this so enjoyable and lighter the dark atmosphere. This terrific band would stay unknown to me also, if Kathleen Baird hadn´t done collaboration with Pekka Airaksinen. I don´t believe they have much popularity in Europe, but on the other hand Kathleen did the album with Pekka in Netherlands. I am not expert of neofolk, but what I´ve heard, this band really is most personal in that genre. From the bands mentioned in the Spires biography page Faun Fables is closest, but although I liked two Faun albums, I think Spires is a lot more interesting band. They really have gone path of their own. Sadly this and next as great "Curse the Traced Bird" are not in spotify, but they´re in Bandcamp! So if this review woke your interest, just go there to listen!