Friday, June 12, 2009

The Three Albums That Influenced Me Most (thus far)


Leaves Eyes Lovelorn

Now I understand why sailors fell victim to the siren's song. Liv Kristine is just how I imagine angels to sound. I started listening to Leaves Eyes in high school, when I was sixteen actually thanks to that Cradle of Filth Nymphetamine music video with Liv as a guest vocalist. I own all of their albums which quite sadly is a small 3 in total but I also have her solo work and some Theatre of Tragedy as well.
Liv has the most incredible voice and on Lovelorn in particular, you can catch all the lilting upward high notes which have an almost lullaby esque quality to them. I have almost dozed off a few times despite all the drums and guitar riffs. 'Into Your Light' is my favorite because it is romantic and heavy in sound all at once.
The entire album has the theme of the ocean, particularly the seas of Norway and of mermaids and of bewitching temptations. There is so much Medieval and the occasional Celtic influence to the songs, like somebody penned them hundreds of years ago on the moors. Each song is a story and as an album, Lovelorn is a continuous tale of love with a great rock influence.


Arcade Fire Funeral

The closest I have ever come to having a religious experience, I started to listen to Arcade Fire after I graduated from high school and was in a musical rut. One afternoon, I happened to hear 'Rebellion' and the next thing I knew, my Mom and I were canvassing various Borders locations to find a copy of the CD, a quest of near-biblical proportions.
There's like six or seven people in this group and they can all play instruments (and very well, a rarity in today's music world). The lead singers are Win Butler and Regine Chassagne, who happen to also be married to each other which I absolutely adore, because it is once again, a rarity.
The songs themselves have a dreamlike quality. 'Haiti' makes me feel like lying in the grass somewhere by a stream and just dangling my fingers in the water. 'Crown of Love' makes me feel completely broken in the beginning with those lovely lonely violins but it takes on a completely different tempo midway that livens the piece up.
That has always been something I love about their work. You never really know which way they're going but the result is always splendid and rich.
I was also smitten with their follow up Neon Bible just as much but with 'Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)', I actually woke up in the middle of the night with no power once and instantly I put that song on. It was very fitting. Then I called the power company.


Delerium Chimera

It was a Christmas gift in the 8th grade that I requested after I saw the 'After All' video on MTV2. I have been a Delerium fan for so long, I wonder what I listened to prior to them (actually, I know but it was crap so let's not talk about it).
Chimera is the ultimate in chill out, trance like experiences. It is mood music at its finest, the kind of songs you can play at an art gallery, listen to with the windows of the car down, and fall asleep to. Every piece is gorgeous, particularly the ones without words like 'Serenity' and my favorite, the 9 minute masterpiece 'Eternal Odyssey' that will literally put you in a music coma. I am always investing in Delerium because it is just so so beautiful.
I can't describe it any better. Listen for yourself.

Love to you all,
Heather

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