“Sad Moon Rising” on Seayou Records is the most recent release from the very busy Christian Fuchs (FETISH 69, BUNNY LAKE, DIE BUBEN IM PELZ) and his current project, Black Palms Orchestra.
The love and passion behind the project can be heard throughout the album. Sometimes longing, sometimes hopeful, but always full of emotion. Although occasionally teetering on the edge of pathos and scratching at the accepted norms of sound-production, the album has quite a bit to offer in the area of guest appearances. Elektronic-guru Gerhard Potuznik, Wolfgang Frisch (Sofa Surfers), Oliver Welter (Naked Lunch), David Kleinl (Tanz Baby!), Ankathie Koi (Fijuka) and others create what could almost be called an Austrian super-group.
Ankathie Koi and her characteristic voice is particularly impressive in her duets with the sonorous vocal chords of Christian Fuchs. The single “Home” captivates with memorable chord progressions, well thought call and response structure, and a fundamental melancholy, while still bubbling with a surprisingly positive spirit.
NO DESERTS OR PALM TREES IN AUSTRIA, NO PROBLEM
Were there desert landscapes with endless roads, heat waves and lonely palm tress in Austria „Sad Moon Rising“ would be their perfect soundtrack. But it isn’t impossible to write a dark country soundtrack in a gnarled Styrian forest, and „Styrian Woods“ is a perfect accompaniment for travels through Styria or any other region. Solitude and isolation know no national boundaries. Another kind of solitude is the theme of “The Loneliest DJ”, although even here the accoustic western guitars create a decidedly transatlantic mood. „All The Kids We Never Had“ and its wistful piano is a highlight of the album, the realisation of its diverse potential.
The stylistic variety of Christian Fuchs, on the other hand, seems to remain open. After industrial, electro-pop, and Wienerlieder he has now brought us a hybrid of country, folk, and laid-back rock. The debut album of the Black Palms Orchestra is filled with clever arrangements that make the talent of the mind behind the music audible through every second of the album. A mix of gripping melodies, love of detail, and the leitmotif of a longing for wanderlust help the images this album creates become a part of the listeners actual surroundings.
Sebastian J. Götzendorfer (adapted from the German by David Dempsey)
Links.
Black Palms Orchestra
Black Palms Orchestra (Facebook)
Seayou Records