I’ve been playing around with the idea of doing CD reviews on my blog for a while now but struggled over how I should do it. Should I review only new CDs? Should I carefully select CDs from the past that I love? Should they follow a theme or be limited to a genre?
I finally decide on a cop-out. I’m proud(ish) to introduce the new series Sid’s Random Compact Disk, or SRCD for short. In this series, I’ll occasionally put my iTunes or iPod on random and listen to the first CD that comes up and review it here. This method of CD selection is not meant to be exclusive. I still might insert a new CD review (SNCD) or a carefully-selected CD review (SCSCD) and you’ll just have to adjust to my arbitrary whim ;).
First up on SRCD is the self-titled release from one of my favorite bands, Clan of Xymox (or just Xymox, depending on the release). Clan of Xymox is the brainchild of Netherlanders Ronny Moorings, vocals and guitar, and Anka Wolbert (Mojca), bass and vocals. Their debut was first released as a limited LP entitled Subsequent Pleasures in 1981. It’s production and song line-up was greatly improved and given full release as Clan of Xymox in 1985. They helped define (and in my opinion, perfected) the 1980’s goth-rock genre, compete with drum machines and simple synth sounds and appropriate wardrobe.
This release features very structured, mechanical drums and simple base lines coupled with distant and echoey vocals and guitar. Ronny took most of the singing responsibilities on this album, a responsibility it sounds as though he was reluctant to embrace. The slightly off-pitch and sometimes nasal style gave the already dark songs a type of desperation similar to that of Ian Curtis. I’m not sure that the similarity is entirely coincidental. Mojca’s singing and bass guitar talents are best displayed on the song 7th Time.
Sometimes the desperation hits an emotional peak through the vocals, like on Stumble and Fall, where Ronny laments “I never saw you” again and again. The same effect is achieved on Cry in the Wind via a layered guitar solo. At the end of that song, Ronny plays like it’s the last thing he gets to do on this earth.
The CD takes a break from it’s dark mood a little on the vocally-minimal single Stranger, which manages to be almost poppy. The highly rhythmic bass dances through the song while the drums sound like a continually morphing typewriter.
About the only thing bad that I can say about this particular release is that some of the ballads sound a bit like filler. The CD would stand just fine with the omission of Equal Ways (the last minute and a half are really good) and No Human Can Drown which makes a disappointing conclusion to an otherwise excellent CD. After listening to Clan of Xymox, one may also be left wondering how this music would sound with modern sounds and production sensibilities. There is no need to! Just pick yourself up a copy of their 2001 release, Notes from the Underground, and hear it for yourself!
