Search - Damon & Naomi :: Song to the Siren: Live in San Sebastian (two-disc set: CD & DVD)

Bonus points for the DVD

Tarkus | 05/06/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This two disc set documents Damon & Naomi's European tour. The first disc is a recording from their show in San Sebastian, Spain. The quality of both the recording and performance are superb. While performing as a trio (with expert guitar flourishes from Michio Kurihara of Ghost), they decided to ditch the drumkit (kind of a pity, as Damon Krukowski is one of the few rock drummers whose style can be described as "ethereal" or "dreamy") and go with acoustic guitar, electric guitar (wailing e-bow leads or tastefully plucked accompaniments), electric bass, and harmonium. Even with three instruments, they manage to crank out a dense, dreamy sound, presenting interesting variations of tunes from their last three albums (but somehow overlooking their absolutely faboo 'More Sad Hits' LP). Definite high point is the title track, the Tim Buckley cover where they score points in my book for using his original lyric, "I'm as puzzled as the oyster". Kurihara's lead guitar work occasionally approaches and even crosses the "wank" line, but all in all, this is a very mellow, pensive, yet intense live album.The second disc is a DVD that chronicles the places and people that these three encountered during their tour. Among the cast of characters and opening bands documented here: the Clientele getting almost "Interstellar Overdrive"-ish, a Joy Division tune covered in Welsh (appropriately enough, in Manchester), the multi-accented British businessman reading the various reviews of Damon & Naomi, the absolutely incongruous opening band in Amsterdam with their anthemic "kill all intellectuals" rocker, the "dressing room" at their Paris gig, etc. I think this was all done with hand-held digital video, but it's well edited and quite entertaining. There's also the commentary track, but we've yet to watch that one. We will, tho'. Soon.Oh, yeah. There's also a Gram Parsons tune covered on the DVD which doesn't appear on the first disc (prolly cos they didn't play it in Spain?...)."