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REVIEWS
Brainwashed
Written by John Kealy
Sunday, 11 January 2009
Wasting little time, Diana Rogerson
is back with another album of unhinged
and gloomy psychedelica. Aided this
time by Andrew Liles, this album
shows a marked difference to her
previous releases. While some of
the pieces are surprisingly accessible
and (dare I say it) musical, the
harder edges of this album are made
of a far different material than
the scratchy creepiness of Chrystal
Belle Scrodd. This impressive album
sees Rogerson shed the soft cocoon
of A Bad Diana and bear her claws
for the first time in ages.
No Birds Do Sing is a much more
raucous affair compared to 2007’s
The Lights Are On But No-one’s
Home. The music thumps hard and
constantly sounds like it is going
to implode under its own energy.
Rogerson gives what is arguably
the best vocal performance of her
career. She completely lets loose,
swinging between a sultry devil
on “Can I Tempt You With All
This?” and a screeching harpy
on “Should the Prayer Wheel
Turn.” This sometimes makes
for a difficult listen as she give
such a pained performance that,
much like Diamanda Galás,
even though the pieces are incredibly
good, they are too draining to listen
to as often as I would like. Referencing
the title of her last album, when
she utters “I’m so scared
because I’m still not, I’m
still not at home,” it gives
me the chills.
Musically, Liles brings with him
the eclecticism of his other collaborations
(there are shades of Fini!, his
album with Faust’s Jean-Hervé
Peron on the rockier parts of this
album). The almost funky drum beats
and keyboards of “Can I Tempt
You With All This?” and its
later sister track stand out in
contrast to the exotic rhythms and
instrumentation of the other pieces.
There seems to be a move away from
the Nurse With Wound moods and sounds
explored by Rogerson with her Chrystal
Belle Scrodd and A Bad Diana albums
(perhaps due to Steven Stapleton
taking a backseat here, providing
only “post production consultation”
and artwork). This has resulted
in a freakier sounding album than
any other NWW-related release I
have heard. The uneasy Middle Eastern
“Ever Afflicted With”
is haunting and hypnotic, creating
an unsettling mood that is then
exacerbated by the pulsing, tribal
beat of “Ki Denga Pepo.”
Rogerson’s cries are merged
with those of a baby for a truly
disturbing experience.
Rogerson and Liles have put together
a remarkable album. No Birds Do
Sing is difficult without being
completely obtuse yet at times it
is also conversely one of Rogerson’s
and/or Liles’ most accessible
albums. It pushes and pulls the
listener around like a rag doll;
just when I feel I am going to break
the duo relent for a moment, allowing
a breather to recover. It makes
for an exciting listening experience.
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