"As a matter of course you rush through your lifetime, turning a blind-eye to world-weary crossfire."
As was the case with Breathless' debut album The Glass Bead Game, their follow-up, Three Times and Waving, is a lush, darkly romantic piece of dream-pop that is easily the equal of, if not better than, what the 4AD stable, mining similar aesthetic territory, was producing at the time (okay, with the possible exception of Dead Can Dance). While Dominic Appleton's vocals (sounding something like a more overtly romantic Brendan Perry) clearly set this band apart, he does not take center stage in most of these songs; instead the vocals are integrated into hauntingly ornate but often ominous soundscapes, functioning as just another sonic texture. Appleton's voice has an unusually tender quality, which provides an intriguing counterpoint to the album's Gothic overtones, giving these songs (and all of Breathless' early recordings for that matter) a very unique feel. Tracks such as "Into the Fire" and "Waiting on the Wire" are simply stunning Post-Punk gems, and whenever I listen to Breathless, it amazes me how such a talented and sonically interesting band could have fallen through the cracks of commercial success (come on, they even had a singer with a big voice!).
Three Times and Waving (2003 Re-issue Edition)
1. Sold Down the River (3:17)
2. Is It Good News Today? (4:53)
3. Three Times and Waving (3:21)
4. Into the Fire (4:13)
5. Working for Space (3:46)
6. Waiting on the Wire (5:11)
7. Dizzy Life (4:14)
8. Say September Sings (4:00)
9. Let's Make a Night of It (7:22)
miaou
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thx for her.
can you change the subtanse adress to
ReplyDeletehttp://douxee.blogspot.com/
have a good day.
douxee, will do. Is that your blog? It's a nice looking website. I see you beat me to The Cult's "Love." I guess I'll have do "Love" x 4 ;)
ReplyDeleteYeah, this album is great, and was I felt, better than Glass Bead Game. Just as Chasing Promises, following this, was better still. Yet all three albums still, for me, were missing some 'vital' thing, some sorta togetherness about the music; they were great to me because of Appleton's voice, but that alone was simply not enough to carry on bringing me back for repeat listens. In fact, it's been probably fifteen years-plus since I've listened to these albums. Perhaps now is a time for me to give them a listen because one never knows ...
ReplyDeleteAll of which leads me to the point: Between Happiness and Heartache.
The single best album I have ever heard in my life, and THE release where absolutely everything was just perfect. Everything. His voice soared like never before. The lyrics surpassed even previous heights. The music was unstoppable. I've never stopped playing this album; have spells every year or so where I revisit and play it obsessively for weeks.
The lack of recognition and success? Yeah. I remember ...Heartache being reviewed in Melody Maker; think they basically said 'yeah, y'know, it's okay I s'pose'.
As for the wonderful quotes you have ahead of your equally wonderful posts, well I do hope that when you put Happiness.. up here, you go with this little piece of genius:
"I saw the effort she made, I couldn't believe it when you let your feelings show,"
Thankyou for posting the Breathless albums; my vinyls aren't on my Mac so now I'm going to 'go back' and listen again - older and very, very much wiser.
And I haven't forgotten about the Tarnation album! Not sure that I can say I'm on it, but it's there, nudging away at the corners upstairs.
Be well.
Mace Hane, great to hear from you and thanks for your comment. I too have been in a process of re-evaluation of this band. Before another reader requested Breathless a month or so back, I hadn't listened to them for 15 years or so. Thanks for your comment on the quotes beneath the album artwork; I wasn't sure anyone noticed, and I'm not even sure why I started doing that, but I think it's a way to allow the music to speak for itself before I give my two cents worth. I will be happy to use the quote you picked when I post "Between Happiness and Heartache." No worries on the Tarnation album. Whenever you get to it, I'll be here. Please don't be a stranger; it's an honor having readers like you reading the blog ~ voixautre
ReplyDeleteyes it's my french photo-music blog
ReplyDeletethx !
when i saw "She Sells Sanctuary" video i put "Love"
so take Electric ;)
have a good day.
douxee, I'm going to post "Electric" and an expanded 4 disc version of "Love" (I hope you'll forgive me, lol). I'll post some more Czars after the next Walker installment. I'm leaning toward the one Guthrie produced and I'll tack on an MP3/320 rip of "The La Brea Tarpits of Routine." More good stuff on the way tonight
ReplyDeleteThank you (to all) - listening to the second track ... already love it!
ReplyDeleteIssi, I'm glad you like it. I'll post another Breathless in a couple of weeks
ReplyDeleteSo wonderful... I love your Breathless posts.
ReplyDeletecc, there are more coming (eventually)...so much to post, so little time *sigh*
ReplyDeleteWaiting for a reup in the new blog...Ciao
ReplyDeleteStill waiting..
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