THE LIGHT IS LEAVING US ALL

David Tibet's long running project is like that friend who is always inviting you on daring vacations that are sometimes just too "out there" for you but other times exactly what you crave. "The Light is Leaving us All" is in the latter category for me, challenging to be sure but also as conventional as he ever gets.

Tibet promotes the title as a mantra throughout the 11 pieces here, even though none is actually so named. In between these incantations reside all manner of apocalyptic poetry, sometimes resignedly, other times vitriolically recited, generally spoken more than sung as is his wont, set against a hypnotic semi acoustic backing, best illuminated by "The Policeman is Dead" and "Bright Dead Star". Tracks bleed into each other such that the first utterance of the enigmatic "Your Future Cartoon" directly references "A Thousand Witches" from seconds before. "The Bench and the Fetch" is another pinnacle with caressed guitar propelling an almost singing Tibet. If the musical dissonance of "The Postman is Singing's is jarring, its animal centered verses are among the most evocative presented.

I don't know if music can save us from losing that light collectively or individually, but CURRENT 93 certainly helps both illuminate and distract us to that end.