Fairytales of Slavery

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
This string-driven British quartet once specialized in Dead Can Dance-style reveries. Here they move into full-throttle sonic overdrive in collaboration with producer Alex Hacke of Einstürzende Neubauten. Bleak and harrowing European artistry abounds, though a faint resemblance to the Cure circa Disintegration make "Cut and Peep Show" passingly accessible. --Jeff Bateman

Tracks:

Cut
Fly
Peep Show
The Wooden Boat
Havana Lied
Cover My Face
Transit
Freezing
Serial Angels
Wheel
Intermission
The Monk Song
A Fairytale About Slavery

Amazon.com

This string-driven British quartet once specialized in Dead Can Dance-style reveries. Here they move into full-throttle sonic overdrive in collaboration with producer Alex Hacke of Einstürzende Neubauten. Bleak and harrowing European artistry abounds, though a faint resemblance to the Cure circa Disintegration make "Cut and Peep Show" passingly accessible. --Jeff Bateman

Customer Reviews:

A beautiful controlled chaos.......2005-10-07

Same as its predecessors ("Iris", "Suspiria") "Fairytales of Slavery" defies easy categorization and continues the band's classic line of genre-breaking fusions which so good turned out to be in their two previous releases. Produced by Einstürzende Neubaten's Alex Hacke, the album displays a noisier and harsher instrumentation. Relying on a lot of feedback and heavy percussions, "Fairytales of Slavery" reveals itself as Miranda Sex Garden's most experimental and sweeping album. There's also more changes on the line-up and Hepzibah Sessa replaces the departed Kelly McKusker. Other musicians like Andrew Blick or F.M Enheit (from E.N) also make an appearance. Katharine Blake's vocals and lyrics (slightly perverse and ambiguous) are bewitching as ever and she is occasionally accompanied on singing by Donna McKevitt. My personal picks in the album would be "The Wooden Boat", the eerie "Wheel", "The Monk Song", "Freezing" (my very favourite) and the bleak "A fairytale about slavery".

As a whole the album drags a little bit on its second half and that's why I rank it a little below compared to "Suspiria" or "Iris", but nevertheless both its volatility and theatricality make it a fascinating album that you won't forget easily. Definitely recommended.

Fairtailes of the Matrix.......2003-04-11

Start "Fairytales of Slavery" exactly 50 seconds into the movie "The Matrix." Turn off the sound on the movie, and listen to the CD while watching the images. You'll see a lot of coincidences and quirks. This works especially well because the songs don't just "end." They tend to deconstruct themselves and end in waves.

You know you've started it in the right place if the first track (Cut) ends when Trinity's hand is on the glass of the phonebooth.

The most experimental album by a most unique group.......2000-07-31

Alex Hacke's harsh production helps to make this album sound much different than their other releases. Not necessarily a good thing (you'll be re-adjusting the volume on your stereo alot), though it works well much of the time. This one is full of exotic insrumentation like piccolos and glockenspiels in addition to the usual mix of guitars and violins. No synthesizers whatsoever. It sounds the least "goth" of any of their albums, too, as if that word really means anything anymore. The single 'Peepshow' is one of their best songs, and I kind of wished there were more songs like that one on here. 'The Wooden Boat' and 'Havana Lied' are very interesting musically. Unfortunately there are too many throwaway songs ('Cover My Face', 'The Monk Song') and bland instrumentals on here to rank this one up there with SUSPIRIA and CARNIVAL OF SOULS.

Why Haven't this band broken through?.......2000-06-14

Has anyone heard this band but me? Awesome all female Goth/Industrial hybrid is like Enya meets Skinny Puppy. But that makes it sound way more simplistic than it is. This band deserves some attention immediately!

The songs Cut and Fly are austounding visions of heartbreak and sadness and peepshow is amoung the best songs of the goth genre ever recorded. While TRANSIT and SERIAL ANGELS display an aptitude towards intrumentals that is rarely matched anywhere.

Buy this now!

A mesmerizing album.......1998-07-16

'Fairytales of Slavery' is probably Miranda Sex Garden's most rocking recording to date, should they ever bring out a successor. They are not everyones cup of tea, as they are difficult to listen to and are musically quite demanding, but this speaks only for the high quality of music and sound. I remember them having a hard time as opening act of Depeche Mode's last european tour a few years back, but the guys from Depeche Mode know good music, the reason why they chose Miranda amongst others. It is difficult to describe Miranda's style. The vocals are gracefully female, in a classical sense, so they do not sound like Alanis Morrisette but more like Dead Can Dance or Cocteau Twins. The music explores the more intense and passionate aspects of people involved with the darker and more passionate sides of love and sex, hence also the fitting title. The guitars are not the dominating aspect, but violins and a driving rhythm section, especially on their songs 'cut' and 'pee! ! p show', last of these being one of my all time favourites. It is certainly not gothic, but far beyond that musical category. The music and atmosphere on the album are far to grown up and mature to be confused with that kind of sound. Miranda Sex Garden are certainly an arty band, but this fact can certainly not be used as a reproach. It is music for serious listeners, who can appreciate this highlight. It is not for people having only a shallow taste in music and it is intended even less so for a superficial audience. All in all, it is an album I admire and respect, as well as love to listen to.

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