Labels: File 13
Review by: Andy Malcolm
Right. One former members of Christie Front Drive if I remember, damned if I know who or what he play’s as finding out any information on the compulsively anonymous CFD (check the sparse open field and the moody, swirling clouds on the cover of this – no band name or titles) is almost as hard as tracking down their elusive records here in the UK. I only have their final, awesome, self titled album. *sigh*
Anyone familiar with the Drive though won’t be that disappointed with the sound Antarctica conjure up. 3 songs on this, erm, single? I’m not sure if you can really call it that, the first is almost 9 minutes long. And it’s full of that sort of melancholy, ethereal, dreamy, sweeping sound you already love, with drifting guitars and the vocals stuck away in the background so you can barely figure out what they’re singing – becoming an extra instrument of sorts. “Drown The Days” still has the basis of the CFD sound, but is less rock and has added some keyboards for a much more 80’s feel. I’m not sure I like this as much as the previous stuff, but with those keyboards and their knack for making some of the most gorgeous sounds you’ll hear, this band could end up being something rather, rather spectacular.
“Full Crescent Crusade” isn’t quite so long, a paltry 6 minutes. But again it’s calm and relaxing, before building up more noisily. It’s never really ‘rock’ or anything though. Things are rounded off with “Closetful of Churches”, which probably explains the bell noises. Very atmospheric and moody again, I am positive that somewhere in my parents record collection their lies a band similar to this, but I am damned if I know where. Nice. And long, clocking in at over 8 minutes, though once it had finished I found myself wishing there was something on this release as pretty as there is on that CFD album.
It’s the soundtrack to you doing nothing in particular in the middle of nowhere and not caring, which is a way cool situation in my opinion. This’ll probably soothe me off to sleep for the forseeable future.