Sunday 11 November 2012

British Theatre - Dyed in the Wool Ghost [2012]


Some people are capable to recommend things in a nice and polite way, others are horrible blackmailers, but with a great regret I must confess from time to time I do bend my neck to my friends’ blackmail. Simple, almost naïve deal, and I’ve gotten myself into spending 230minutes with latest twisted product of ex-Oceansize Mike Vennart & Gambler. 

Expecting mediocrity, I was surprised that somewhere around 4th listen, I started to get sentimental, hence here is the proof of my vulnerability to certain pressures and ability to enjoy almost everything.


Dyed in the Wool Ghost – cause that’s the name of blackmail’s reason was released this holiday as a 5-track EP lasting only around 23 minutes. The project consists of two ex-Oceansize members, but despite the same man’s vocals it’s rather hard to find similarities. The music oscillates somewhere between warm electronics, post-rocky guitars and element of magical mystery typical for the makers.

Once I got past my prejudices and mocking, and started enjoying the nighty atmosphere, I noticed Defeat Skeletons sounded surpringly fresh and had a great chorus and rhythm. A bit later, I started to murmur and shake my head, and a bit bit later…

Second on the album The Gift’s Demands seems like a paranoid baby of Pure Reason Revolution and múm. This isn’t the most complex and amusing song, but it does remind me of feeling slightly drunk and stressed. What's weird is that I can’t get past the feeling someone is dribbling a small ball on the table. Or maybe that's a knife of my blackmailer, knocking on the door. Brrr. As The Leaves Are To The Limbs is probably the most interesting song on the EP with lovely bass&guitar base and romantic sung melody, flirting with piano. Actually, I think I could enjoy this song while enjoying one of the city gardens in the evening, it’d really suit deep reflections over limbs being leaves or the other way around...

Nah, now I recalled how during last classes one of my students gave me a drawing where ‘a tree’ was a dead man’s arm. I’ll pass on making trees human. Give A Man Enough Rope And He Will Hang Us All. I probably wouldn’t give a rope to my school boys with their murderous fantasies then, but maybe a song full of ponds, monotonous, but threatening chords and a whispering man? I’m thinking: Doctor Who, mystery, nights at the city, water. I’m thinking: don’t listen to it on the bus. 

The Helicopters that fly us away from the Theatre and British Islands apply really well to my night moods, however the blackmailer says it’s a stupid opinion. Anyway, I do like instrumentals. And I did find the album interesting after spending with it these four hours.:)