CD Review – The Body Lyre – December Marches

The CD comes beautifully packaged in what, at first glance, looks like a book of poetry, an illusion shattered (or perhaps enhanced) by the randomness of a burnt CD in a Croxley envelope. Out of it. Implies all sorts of interesting things about the album, most of which are borne out. Took a wee while to get into, but the more I listened the more I liked it.

Vastly different from my usual preference for head-banging boot stomping tunes, I must say I quite like it. I couldn’t help but feel this album should be the soundtrack for some epically outrageous Tarantino movie – very sweaty, bluesy and intense. If you miss out on this album you’ll regret it. Crank it up, spark up, pour another glass and enjoy.

Track 1 – Sex acts for sisters – Melodic acoustic intro, chuck a bit of woodwind in there for good measure. Nice precise picking. Very grungy bluegrass feeling. Cool bongos. Nice electric gax sneaked in there to replace the acoustic – nice cheeky progression. Mellow sounding, I get the feeling of an intimate gig in a bar somewhere in the wee hours.

Track 2 – Body Lies – More grungy blues, sweeping and up and down. Full of emotion. I especially like the vinyl crackle – a very nice touch for those that remember such things.

Track 3 – Play for Voices – mellow and steady. Almost intelligible voices at the end really mess with your head.

Track 4 – Warm Sin – and now we’re getting going, a wicked rocking tune comes rocking out. Enthusiastic and groovy gax hooks, solid rhythms. This’d fill up a dance floor with sweaty peeps real fast.

Track 5 – Gussied Up – back to the acoustic and delicate backing vocals. Another mellow tune which plods along and surprises you with a rocking chorus. Tapping toes before you even realise. Very cool brass to accompany and enhance the last, epic, third of the track.

Track 6 – Chloe-Rose – slow melodic intro, dulcet vox by Ava, deliberate and dominant gax, combined with doleful bass plucking make this as instant classic. Very very cool.

Track 7 – Having Heard Devils Speaking – semi-industrial thrumming, trippy to say the least. Outro deafening, bummer.

Yours in Body,
CEOMong