Amy's Ghost: Sartre's Flower
Amy's Ghost: Fragments EP
It's always interesting when a new record comes out from a source one's previously enthused madly about. It can be a trepidatious few moments when the fan first puts on a new album: will it be what one hoped for - as good as.., better than..., a pale shadow of....., ploughing a different furrow from..., a great leap forward in respect to.., etc., etc., etc...
In the particular case of Amy's Ghost, I am totally aware that I have previously praised the band and their charismatic lead singer/songwriter to the rafters, both as live performers and recording artists. So I am suffering those pre-hearing jittersoutlined above mighty heavily. I do so want these offerings to be well up to scratch....
Sartre's Flower
I am very, very happy to report that there is no disappointment to be found in these 2 releases - everything is what one hoped for - thoughtful songs and haunting music of a highly impressive stature, sound production and reproduction of exceedingly high standards and an overall experience to be treasured.
Beyond the necessary and decisive consolidation of their position in the spectrum of 'theatrical rock' {I have tried to find the correct genre to place the band in but there music is very difficult to define and I picked this title as the best of a second-rate lot, it only being partially descriptive of their talents and output}, there is little in the form of new analysis to be offered up that significantly adds to or modifies the commentary I have supplied in reviews of Amy's Ghost gigs and record releases previously[see list below] other than to mention the beautiful artwork that Amy Barton herself embellishes the packaging with, that firstly makes a nonsense of any idea that one might choose to download the songs in preference to laying hands on the hard copy in the form of CDs; and secondly makes one yearn for the old days when one could walk down the street proudly clutching a 12" LP under one's arm for all to see and admire one's impeccable taste!
Fragments EP
So, where next for Amy's Ghost, one wonders - more of the same?... or a radical change in direction, perhaps?... Who knows, but it's a question that, I suggest, needs consideration.
Being a long-time beleiver in the Idea and Ideals of Progressive Rock, I sincerely hope the band are looking for ways forward. Even the best ideas can become samey and dull-edged should the formula does not move on. I would humbly suggest that a concept album is not beyond their capabilities - perhaps building a whole album around a single theme, story or adventure - maybe with a tie-in [art-house] movie, maybe even based on Amy's artwork......
This would be a big, big project and I would not normally even think of suggesting it to an artist or band if I didn't think they could have such a thing within their grasp. So, I hope the band will forgive my audacity in even mentioning the idea. I know the EP here was funded partly [if not completely] using the Pledgemusic technique, so that such an innovative methodology might well be a way of making this type of venture achievable.
Whatever the band chooses to do,I look forward to the next chapter in the Life of Amy's Ghost.
previous reviews.....
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