It manages to surprise me...still
D. M. MATALLIN | Valencia, Spain | 05/28/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"what can I say about The Legendary Pink Dots? it's my favourite band, they make a unique style, borrowing that psychedelia from bands like pink Floyd but more in a psychotic experimental way like Can, and adding that to an electronic music here all instruments are welcome...violins, saxophone, guitars, and samples, noises...and on top of that, or sometims in the middle, the naughty-boy voice of Edward Ka-Spel and his wonderful lyrics.Ok and they have been releasing albums since 1981, probably the most prolific band in history with more than 30 albums in 20 years not counting the more than 10 solo albums by Ka-Spel and his 5 albums in collaboration with Skinny Puppy's Cevin key in The Tear Garden.once said that, is this album able to surprise? yes and no. I mean, The LPD have a unique style...and as such, you can instantly recognise them. But the new album does manage to add an interesting new step for the band.From the moment the album starts and we hear an electric guitar not reminding us of any previous LPD song, we realise they have succeed again. I was anxious to hear this album. 'All the King's Men', heir previous album was so important for me... 'The Whispering Wall' is very different, their psychedelic side from classic albums such as Maria Dimension is very present here. I don't think it beats All the King's Men, but that was a very difficult task anyway. Anyway it's too soon to judge, but it's obvious it's a great album, like 99% of LPD albums.We have here songs with marked electric guitars (Soft toy), electronic ambient instrumental pieces (king of a small world), typical circus-like freaky melodies )Peek-a-boo), spoken Ka-spel trademark songs (The Divide), and an amazing three-part song that closes the album.Buy it."
Legendary Pink Dots - 'The Whispering Wall' (Roir)
Mike Reed | USA | 06/10/2004
(3 out of 5 stars)
"I wanted to give it a 3 1/2 star rating.Believe it or not,this is the band's 40th-something CD.They've been at it since 1980.One might even go as far as to say the LPD has become one of THE better known 'cult bands'.'The Whispering Wall' tends to showcase some of frontman Edward Ka Spel's way-out-there poetry.The tracks that sort of made me sit up and take notice were the airy psychedelic "In Sickness&Health","King Of A Small World",the somewhat industrial "The Divide" and the later half of "Sunken Pleasure".Keyboardist The Silverman and saxist Niels Van Hoornblower are still a vital part of the band.Should appeal to fans of Psychic TV,Skinny Puppy and Nurse With Wound."
Track Listings (11) - Disc #1