1 Voyaging (The Reds, Pinks And Purples) (10:54)
2 The Rainy Valley (Including Gale At Dawn) (7:26)
3 Death´s Death (5:11)
4 Sexual Anguish (Including The Psychic Castle) (4:02)
5 Mystery (2:06)
6 The Shark Airplane (Including The Children Of Argol; Jewel-Like Colors) (5:58)
7 Pouring Out Living Flowers (5:08)
8 Cry Of Mind/The Winter Capital (7:04)
Arriver a mettre la main sur ce disque ne peut etre du qu'au hasard. Ce premier disque de the Child Readers sort en effet sur le tres confidentiel label suedois Mallard Lake. Une visite sur le site du label peut permettre a l'auditeur curieux, de plus facilement apprehender la plongee en apnee dans ce disque dirons nous etrange. Memory and fantasy peut faire peur. Quelques bruits par ci par la, quelques echos de xylophone, de harpe, de mandoline, puis de temps en temps, un superbe morceau avec une simple guitare et une voix comme Mystery ou le premier chapitre de Voyaging. Mais peu importe la maniere il regne tout au long du disque une ambiance particuliere, assez sombre, inquietante, comme la route qui doit mener au chateau qui illustre la pochette. Ici rien n'est facile, ni l'ecoute, ni la comprehension, mais l'attrait du cote obscur est le plus fort. Memory and fantasy est un grand disque, tout simplement parce qu'il vous fait ressentir tellement de choses a la fois, qu'on en est bouleverse. Ce disque est derangeant, et superbe en meme temps. Difficile a decrire, a vivre, mais terriblement passionnant quand on en saisit toutes les subtilites, Memory and Fantasy est un disque fantastique et surtout hors norme. A decouvrir absolument. En vous remerciant.
A Découvrir Absolument
In a castle by the sea is where you'll find Loren Chasse and Jason Honea on their latest creation as The Child Readers. "Memory & Fantasy" leans more toward the latter, but it certainly evokes memories of my childhood as well. Like the branches of an ancient oak, these songs grow from the earth and lift their arms toward the sky. This, like most projects related to the Jewelled Antler label, is full of the inspiration found in nature. Chasse is one of the world's foremost sound sculptors when it comes to using natural objects, and that influence is felt all over "Memory & Fantasy." Through a variety of instruments and voices, Chasse & Honea create their own fantasy world in which nothing is more sacred than the earth.
Like previous albums, "Dark Laughter" and "Boy on a Cliff," "Memory & Fantasy" relies heavily on the organic sounds of a variety of acoustic instruments. However, where the two former albums had a heavy dose of field recordings mixed in, this new record uses more voice samples instead. For example, "Pouring Out Living Flowers" opens with a short clip of a German woman speaking. The effect of such a snippet is that it immediately sets off an array of images of pre-war Germany in my head. It's a brilliant use of something seemingly insignificant. But because of this woman's voice, I imagine the duo playing this song under the grey skies of 1930Õs Berlin. Cobblestone streets line the city and beautiful brick buildings line the streets. You feel like you're there, and Chasse and Honea are minstrels marching through the city, serenading anyone who will listen. It's well done.
While "Pouring Out Living Flowers" has a city feel to it, the rest of this album is deeply immersed in a fictitious forest. The opening epic, "Voyaging (the Reds, Pinks, and Purples)" is like the soundtrack to a slow summer stroll underneath a thick canopy of trees. The smell of impending rain is in the air. This 11 minute track embodies all the things I love about The Child Readers and Jewelled Antler in general. Clanging guitars with a droning hum underneath open this long piece and give the effect of leaves falling all around you. With the subtle sounds of a bubbling creek buried deep in the background, you can't help but smell the scent of cedar. Bowed strings add to the organic atmosphere and give the piece a hypnotic edge. Midway through, Chasse's trademarked percussive elements enter into the fray. He uses various natural elements to bring in another texture to an already dense piece. It's like walking along this forest path, watching as woodland creatures scurry away and watch from a distance out of curiosity. When the chiming of the acoustic guitar comes back in, and the flowing creek returns, it's like you've emerged from the most treacherous part of the journey. Now, you've come across an area covered in wildflowers, where the sun is shining and birds are singing. In the distance, you can see overgrown grass covering once-majestic statues. It's like utopia for anyone who loves the outdoors. "Voyaging" is the perfect soundtrack for the expedition to find this hallowed ground. This track is a summation for all that is great about The Child Readers.
The other side of The Child Readers is centered around more structured pieces, like "Sexual Anguish (including the Psychic Castle)." It opens with vocals, melodica, and quiet piano chords. There's a sense of melancholy spattered all over this track, especially as Honea or Chasse (I'm honestly not sure which voice is which) sings. I feel like I've been in this place before. You can feel the storm clouds forming overhead, and you can't help but feel the need to run for cover. As drums fade in, the skies open up and rain their mess down upon you. It's cleansing and frustrating at the same time. This short (by Child Readers standards, anyway) piece is definitely one of the most memorable on this disc.
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