FEATHERS FOR FLESH

THE RED MASQUE was formed in 2001 by vocalist Lynette Shelley and multi-instrumentalist Brandon Ross. They are from Philadelphia and have released five studio album since 2002, with "Feathers And Flesh" being album number two from 2004. Lynette just announced in June that a new album is on the way shortly which was great news to read, as they have been recording at Orion Studios.

They are a four piece here with three multi-instrumentalists and those incredible vocals. Lynette does add some sounds including slinky. I was bored with that pretty quick as a kid, but she also plays an erhu, a Chinese, vertical, two stringed fiddle. The lineup by the way has changed for every album with Lynette and Brandon being the constant. The music is all over the place like Lynette's vocals which tie this all together beautifully. There is some powerful stuff on here, bringing to mind KING CRIMSON and SLEEPYTIME GORILLA MUSEUM, quite dark. This is the only album of theirs tagged with Zeuhl on RYM, and for good reason as BONDAGE FRUIT comes to mind a few minutes in on that opening track.

Some epics on here as we get five tracks worth under 55 minutes, and three of those tracks are between 12 and 15 minutes. And how awesome does this album start with "House Of Ash" and that gong, followed by wind and faint percussion before we hear footsteps. This is haunting as whispers arrive before it explodes into that Japanese Zeuhl style bringing BONDAGE FRUIT to mind. Vocals and huge bass lines rule here. A calm will follow as a gothic vibe takes over before it kicks in again around 8 1/2 minutes. Themes are repeated to the end.

"Passage" hits the ground running with angular guitar over top. A trippy section follows with those angelic vocals. Some picked guitar before 4 minutes and mellotron-like sounds. It starts to build then themes are repeated. "Yellow Are His Opening Eyes" is interesting to say the least with those spoken theatrical words as the organ brews. She's screaming at one point then it kicks in hard before 4 1/2 minutes. It sounds like it's deconstructing before 10 minutes until it's a dark calm. "Beggars & Thieves" continues the high quality music with plenty of atmosphere when she stops singing, and then turning intense before returning to a calm to end it. The short closer is experimental with whispered vocals and a psychedelic vibe, no melody.

This is a great album that crosses several different styles of music. Lynette's vocals are as adventerous as the music itself. A very solid four stars, but wanting to rate it higher. I'm just not on board with every idea they came up with here.