Josef Herman: Warsaw, Brussels, Glasgow, London, 1938-1944
Josef Herman's early, cathartic work should not be missed
Red Army Faction Blues
Red Army Faction Blues persuasively blends fact and fiction in its account of Germany's turbulent times from the '60s to the '80s, writes Paul Simon
Josef Herman: Warsaw, Brussels, Glasgow, London, 1938-1944
Josef Herman's early, cathartic work should not be missed
Emilie Autumn
Opheliac (The End Records)
Sunday 14 March 2010
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EmailReleased Stateside three years ago, Emilie Autumn's latest album is only now being licensed in Britain. As a reward for this patience, Opheliac is packaged with a bonus disc that contains a clutch of new tracks along with out-takes and video footage.
This sprawling release sees Courtney Love's former "anarchy violinist" skitter between genres, often during the course of a single track.
Autumn's material variously pays homage to burlesque, the cabaret of The Dresden Dolls, the eccentric inventiveness of Patrick Wolf, and the post-industrial beats of Marilyn Manson.
It's by turns intriguing, grating and verging on greatness. The quota of the latter is increased when restraint is applied to the sometimes obtrusive percussion and vocal distortions.
This reveals gently wayward tunes that are not dissimilar to a medieval Tori Amos, replete with harpsichord and strings.
The self-absorbed lyrical obsessions of madness, suicide and gloom may continue to rile but the release shows an idiosyncratic talent beneath the carefully manufactured image.
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