DJ De Ville - Track of the Week

My choice this week is Dead or Alive's first 7" single "I'm Falling". The release came out just before Wayne Hussey (The Sisters of Mercy/The Mission) officially joined, and years before the band changed to create more pop orientated material such as 'You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)'
'Flowers' was featured on the B-side and the video showcases a punk/tribal version of frontman Pete Burns.

Album review: Feeding Fingers - Wound In Wall

★★★
Album released 2007
Review by DJ De Ville:

I was first introduced to dark wave band Feeding Fingers, after seeing a short film by vocalist Justin Curfman entitled Zugskin.
It's after watching his films that you understand the surrealist lyrical compositions behind the songs (made originally as soundtracks) which would later make up the debut album Wound In Wall.

The album starts with 'Mouth Filled With Sand' a track that is similar in sound of The Cure track 'Lullaby' in bass lines and keyboards. Curfman's voice cries out like a mixture of Robert Smith and Gary Numan in his early punk days. It's followed by a simplistic acoustic arrangement 'A Bag of Broken Hands' which is reminiscent of the Bauhaus classic 'All We Ever Wanted Was Everything'.

A range of effects and heavy echoes on Curfman's distorted vocal ranges lead well through to the title track 'Feeding Fingers' with it's perfect combination of organs and slow paced guitar feedback.
Two instrumental tracks 'Theme For a Saw Tooth Hula Hoop' and 'This is Yours' are equally dark and beautiful in their own way, the latter I could easily imagine being included in the video game Silent Hill.
'Manufactured Missing Children' and 'Where Mimes Come to Say Goodbye' are also stand outs and continue the dark journey through the album with the lyrics:

Facedown in the snow
And broken ice
I removed my mind
So that I could always
Always
Be wrong

My favourite song would be the final on the album: 'Fireflies Make Us Sick', which sounds the most polished of all 14 tracks. With a pounding drum rhythm and pronounced simplistic vocals, it's a perfect choice to end the album on, and one of those songs you want to keep on repeat, even with the dark surreal lyrics:

I don't care how you got in here
With this jar full of fireflies
Just let me crush and smear
Their glowing asses
Across your mouth

And when I turn out this light

I only want to see your face
Coming closer
To kiss me
Until the smell of this
Makes us sick

Wound In Wall is must listen for fans of The Cure (especially the albums Pornography, and even Disintegration), Joy Division and Echo & The Bunnymen. Overall a prominent debut album, although you can hear the inspirations it's not at all a copy, more an experimental follow on.

Fireflies Make Us Sick:

More info: www.feedingfingers.com

The Sisters Of Mercy - Sonisphere Festival 2011 - 9th July

As the sun descended over the crowd on the 3rd day of Sonisphere and the day's line up came to an end, there was one more band left to play to the anticipating crowd. Those who thought ahead of time and headed to the front of one of the few enclosed stages were thanking themselves as the stage quickly filled up after the previous band - Paradise Lost - finished their set.

At 11:15, the lights dimmed down and and an endless amount of smoke filled not only the stage, but the majority of the large blue tent which was to be the stage for The Sisters of Mercy show that night. As the stage lights perpetrated the smoky air and lit up the tent, Simon Denbigh (Of "The March Violets" fame), Ben Christo and Chris Catalyst appeared out of the thick smoke and onto the stage. Andrew Eldritch's haunting voice in the "Afterhours" covered the crowd and drew everyone in to what was to be an exceptionally well produced and unforgettable show.

The setlist which stretched well over an hour, was an eclectic mix easily described as something from a "Best Of" album (Indeed many of the songs were from "A Slight Case Of Overbombing") and the crowd's reaction reflected the band's energy and dedication in every way; Many 'Sisters' fans, young and old, joined in the mosh pit and sang along to their favorite songs. Indeed, there were particular overriding chants for classics such as "This Corrosion" and "Alice" but as with their other performances, they included a few tracks not on any of the studio ablums. Responses to tracks such as "Arms" and "Will I Dream?" were well recieved by the crowd with many two-stepping in the mud in the little space that they had.

Overall, the show was well presented, well organised and provided a mood that would see any 'Sisters' fan returning for more. After an abscence from UK festival line-ups for 20 years, the band really did seem to enjoy themselves so hopefully we will see them at more festivals in the future.





The Sisters of Mercy are currently on a 30th anniversary world tour with several festivals and concerts lined up over the remainder of 2011 with appearances set for Fuji Rock Festival in Japan, the Soundwave Revolution festival across Australia in September/October as well as - what is building up to be an exciting appearance - at the London Roundhouse in Camden on November 13.

Review by: DJ Boxer
Sources: www.the-sisters-of-mercy.com

Setlist:
Afterhours
Ribbons
Train / Detonation Boulevard
Crash and Burn
A Rock and a Hard Place
Amphetamine Logic
Arms
Dominion / Mother Russia
Summer
More
Will I Dream?
Alice
Anaconda
Lucretia, My Reflection
Vision Thing
Pipeline
Temple of Love

Encore:
Something Fast
First & Last & Always
This Corrosion

Happy Birthday Peter Murphy - 54 Today

Undead Undead Undead