How does it compare to the artist's other releases
Value for Money
Advantages:
Thoroughly engaging, dramatic, and, in places, amusing
Disadvantages:
It's possible to tire of even a good story
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
From the immediate orchestral drama of the opening track, you know you're listening to something that's just a little bit... different. It turns out that you are being led not into an album, but more of a story, a tale of people's lives. Like any good film or book, "Attack of the Grey Lantern" draws you in from the first scene.
Although this album is probably best known for the Stripper Vicar track and the newsworthy video that accompanied Taxloss, there are plenty of other cracking songs on here. But, really, the album is best taken as a whole and listened to with Random Play turned off. In a number of places, the tracks segue from one to the next to help enhance the experience.
This continuity is strongly echoed in the running theme or story, that of 'Dark' Mavis and the fate of her somewhat twisted ecumenical father. It's not so much tongue-in-cheek as a knowing smile, a nod and a wink. Upon repeated play, you get to feel as though you're on the inside, sharing the band's and the characters' dirty little secret. As I said, it draws you in and that is a large part of why it's so successful. I'm tempted to (somewhat tangentially) compare the album to A Clockwork Orange in this respect, but I don't think I will..... d'oh!
Anyway, besides all of this bull about the story, the humour and the like, Attack of the Grey Lantern is still an album full of top-notch songs. Where orchestras are used, the pieces are beautifully arranged. In fact that's probably something that can be said of all tracks - well arranged.
At the end of day, though, I love a bit of drama in my music from time to time and this is the album that delivers it. Just be careful you don't overdo it - I listened to it so much at first that I now occasionally find it hard to come back to. If it weren't for that, I'd have given it a 5-star rating.
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but whose lead singer most people would be hard-pressed to name--are impossible to figure out; one gets the impression they prefer things that way. In successive ph...
but whose lead singer most people would be hard-pressed to name--are impossible to figure out; one gets the impression they prefer things that way. In successive ph...
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