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         Music with Medieval and DCD influences presents :
CAROL TATUM / ANGELS OF VENICE

CD (2001) / CD (1996)
Trine Records      Carol of Tatum : Music for harp (2001)***'

"Nothing Else Matters" is a beautiful and recommended to hear adaptation (harp,cello and sparse keyboards) of this Metallica song. I made an Apocaliptica's special before in my radio program, where I think that Apocalyptica succeeded here too, but I found it such a shame having missed this version at that time. Carol makes it sound as if had been written for harp in the first place. This leads perfectly into "Presentio" finding myself daydreaming now about playing harp in a round room in the morning, while my partner slowly wakes up by these sounds, some  sunbeams come in, window curtains are flowing softly in the wind, coffee burls at the background, some butterflies flow in. It is possible.. in musical form : with this song. "Season of the Witch" is also beautifully interwoven with keyboard sounds. On the booklet is written that the CD is written during candlelight. Do you know the effect of candlelight ? It softens our nerves, and increases and refine our sensibility. Just imagine your partner confronted in neonlight or associated with candlelight, then you know how you can place this music too. While this music is candlelight supper. And even when you can't share this moment you can still feel this presence with this music. Most of the songs have a good balance between the melody of the harp and the atmosphere of the synthesiser, and some other added instruments. Only in the last track the synthesiser takes the lead, to conclude the CD where only there I had preferred just real instruments to do so.
Epiphany Rec.  Angels of Venice : Awake inside a dream (1996)***

Angels of Venice refers in the booklet to beautiful Pre-Raphaelite paintings, an atmosphere they might would like to express. Therefore it uses Medieval Music with the adaptations of some Middle Eastern feeling, mixed with a portion of good taste and an inner balance.

The CD is in two parts : an exotic and a poetic one. The first most progressive contrasting song is dedicated to Jimmy Page and Robert Plant. Second song "A Chantar Mer" (with hurdy gurdy and high feline voice) is a nice adaptation of the only know surviving piece of French Medieval troubadour music written by a woman. "Nana", sung by a classic soprano, is a strange haunting lullaby straight from a horror movie, but softened and assuaged by the instrumentation. "Sins of Salome" is a DCD like fantasy of the subject with some Middle Eastern feeling. Second part starts with a harp-flute (cello) dominated adaptation of "Scarborough Fare". Also "Three Nightingales" has been arranged the same way. "The World beyond the woods" starts in a more Gothic approach with harpsichord, continues more etheric dreamy with New Age synths and harp, fluently flowing in the next track "China Moon", back into the balanced mood of the leading flute-cello and harp once more. The movie inspired "Light at the Edge of the moon" with harp and oboe lead adapted a known melody of Eric Satie. The CD concludes with the titletrack, another track (with bass flute, keyboards) which reminds once more at the quiet atmosphere of some Victorian paintings.

Website at http://www.angelsofvenice.com/
and sound files at MP3.com at http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/90/angels_of_venicecarol_tatu.html
Reviews at http://www.loobie.com/angels.htm
and at http://www.amustardseed.com/albums/2740.htm and at 
http://heartsong.bandnet.com/18/sampler/THE_ANGELS_OF_VENICE.html
Small review at http://www.middlepillar.com/catalog/browse.pl/artist/ANGELS_OF_VENICE/

Pre-Raphaelites, Symbolists and Victorian galleries of paintings you can see at http://www.artmagick.com/