Rating:
Genre:
Rock
Release Date: 05/15/2007
Exquisite Idols is
Brad Rose's first album as
the North Sea, following a collaboration with
Rameses III also released on
Type, although these two CDs could hardly be more different in sound and feel.
Night of the Ankou (the project with
Rameses III) featured long, quiet drones;
Exquisite Idols is a collection of short songs and
experimental tunes in the free
folk vein. Not a newcomer on that scene (see the productions he releases on his labels
Digitalis and
Foxglove),
Rose can clearly come up with sweet, simple songs and open them up with a lot of reverb, feedback and multi-tracked acoustic instruments. The album begins with a short accordion instrumental laced with bird songs, followed by the
medieval sounding (and mandolin-led)
"Guiwenneth of the Green Grass." "Take It from Me Brother Moses" and
"Children of the Ashes" are straightforward
folk songs in appearance, the first one with a
Guthrie feel, the second rooted in the Flower Power heritage. However, the vocal treatments and cleverly colliding guitar parts are typical of the reinvented
folk current out of Providence (Rhode Island).
"And Then the Solstice Disappeared" and
"Feather-Cloaked Silver Priestess" also have a slight Indian feel (sitar, tambura). Wedged in the middle of the album (or at the onset of side two, if you opt for the LP version) is
"Cover Me with Knives," a more
experimental and raucous track whose sole objective seems to be to disrupt the peace in order to let
"Children of the Ashes" soothe things down again afterwards.
Exquisite Idols is not the wheel reinvented, but it has good musicianship, sound production values (within the boundaries of the free
folk), intelligent songwriting, and it provides a pleasant if slightly dazed listen.
~François Couture, All Music Guide
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