Terrascope Rumbles for May 2012
Regular readers of Rumbles will know I'm a huge fan of the two most recent 17 Pygmies releases, which managed to combine shimmering beauty, melody and SF weirdness into a compelling whole. Now we venture into the third and alas final part of the Celestina story (the tracks here numbered 23 to 331/3, or more accurately XXIII to XXXIII.III), ‘Even Celestina Gets The Blues (A Tale Of Love And Quantum Physics)’. As before, the music is often in 3/4 time, with strong musical themes repeating beneath the synths, effects and vocals soaring above. Track 23 opens proceedings, then the first song proper emerges, with another pair of themes that propel the listener space-wards. Lovely stuff. '25' again captures the magic of this music, with repeating themes and evocative vocals, while '26' is a kind of audio hymn. The lengthy '27' begins like a space synth-funeral, but then heads off into the kind of instrumental Hawkwind were doing in the early 'nineties, except here more weird and jump-cut. '28' mixes main man Jackson Del Rey and Meg Maryatt's vocals into a cut that epitomises the Celestina sound, while '29' brings in extra percussion, and '30' some lovely classical elements, making the album highlight; sublime vocals too, and a lovely tune. '31' features classical guitar, '32' returns us to repeating melodies sung in that oh so mournful voice, while the final pair of tracks conclude the album with grace. As a whole, CI, CII and now CIII comprise a marvellous showcase for a most intriguing band. Highly recommended, as an album and for the work as a whole, with the standard of the artwork particularly fabulous. But where will 17 Pygmies go next...? (www.trakwerx.com)
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