SPLEEN AND IDEAL

After the enjoyable gothic new wave debut, Dead Can Dance choose to take another road that would take them to the most heavenly music ever done by a 'pop' artist. This album is the first tentative step in this new direction. The result is a mixed bag. There are some weaker tracks and Brendan Perry's vocals are still very rooted in the gothic style. By consequence the album fails to reach the vocal virtuosity and sparkling intensity of the two following masterpieces. So, only considering the album's quality, it's a bit of a letdown compared to the remarkable debut. On the other hand it was a first step into a more mature style that would step far outside the boundaries of pop music.