Dead Can Dance, "Aion," 1990 1st UK Pressing, NM Play Grade, Ultrasonic Clean
$
85
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Description
Dr. John's Spin Factory brings you music that few know, but those who do, adore. Please consider: Dead Can Dance's 5th album, Aion. Now, in case you're wondering (which I am sure you are), and with the intent of enhancing your appreciation of this fine album, here is the definition I found for the word, "Aion."
Aion is an ancient Greek word primarily meaning a long, indefinite period of time, an age, a lifetime, or eternity; it represents unbounded, cyclical time (often associated with a deity) as opposed to linear, ticking time (chronos), and frequently refers to a specific age or world in "biblical" contexts.
Safe to say that Perry and Gerrard, the pair of artists that comprise Dead Can Dance, look at things a bit differently than most other musicians! Trust me on this one. You need to hear this record to truly appreciate its title. Now, to appreciate more about the music pressed into the grooves of this (now, finally) pristine vinyl disc, is AllMusic's Ned Ragget...
Their reputation growing by leaps and bounds, including a huge underground following in the U.S. -- they were able to tour there even without one domestic release available, while at one point Dead Can Dance was the biggest selling band in 4AD's history -- Perry and Gerrard once again did the business with Aion. Its cover taken from Bosch, Aion's medievalism was worn more openly than ever before, with songs adapted from centuries-old material. The beautiful, entrancing "Saltarello," with lead performance by what sounds like an old wind instrument, comes from an Italian dance of the 14th century, while the mysterious moods of "The Song of the Sibyl" derive from 16th-century Catalonia. The group's command of not merely recording possibilities -- witness the exquisite layering of vocals on the opening "The Arrival and the Reunion" -- but of musical traditions, instruments, and more from around the world was arguably never stronger. Gerrard's vocals in particular have an even stronger, richer feeling than before, not merely able to command with its power but softly calm and seduce. Perry, meanwhile, is no less compelling, his ever-strong, wonderful voice perfectly suited to his choice of material. The standout track is "Fortune Presents Gifts Not According to the Book" with lyrics from a Spanish poet. The musical combination of softly plucked guitar and buried organ drone is striking enough, swathed in reverb, but when Perry steps in with his vocals, matched by more sparkling keyboards, the result is yet another high point for a band laden with them. Guest performers once again assist throughout, including Perry's brother Robert on haunting, quite non-clichéd bagpipes for "As the Bell Rings the Maypole Spins" and singer David Navarro Sust, returning again to contribute some fine backing work.
Conclusion: This album is a worthy candidate for anyone seeking well written songs, well performed, well recorded, and pressed onto high quality vinyl.Finally, here are six key points for any potential buyer of this record to know in advance of 'pulling the trigger':
1. This is a 1st pressing made in the UK in 1990. (I bought it at a once amazing record store in Grand Rapids Michigan, "The Vinyl Solution"). The vinyl shines like new and the jacket is like art work--gorgeous. 2. In the 35 years or so that I have owned this album, I have probably played it twice. Why so infrequently, you ask? 3. This album never sounded very good (way back when). It sounded... 'fuzzy.' I kind of gave up on it 30 some years ago. (What I had then as a VPI 17 vacuum record cleaner.) 4. And now I know why I gave up on it. The grooves needed to be deep cleaned, which a vacuum based machine cannot do and what my Kirmuss Audio Ultrasonic Cleaning machine allowed me to do just last week...and... 5. The difference is beyond night and day. This record now sounds utterly fantastic! The fuzziness is totally gone. (Makes me want to keep it...). Plus, now when I play this record the needle picks up nothing--it used to gather up a wad of dust with each playing. 6. I ship all previously opened and played records (such as this) with the record in its sleeve outside of the record jacket. The place both the empty jacket and the disc in its sleeve inside a plastic slipcover. This prevents the disc from sliding around inside the jacket during shipment which can cause damage to the jacket's spine, which has happened to me frequently over the years of mail order purchases. (Really--a vinyl disc can slice right through the spine of its jacket given enough jostling.)
Good luck! And may you come to love, truly adore, more music than you can catalog without either a computer or a notebook...Dr. John
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