DOWSING ANEMONE WITH COPPER TONGUE

After having mixed feelings towards Kayo Dot's debut album it still managed to come up on top thanks to the opening and closing compositions. It's true that this particular genre of music has so far been a hit-and-miss for me but after the debut album it felt like this band could only improve with every new release since there wasn't really any lack of skill on their part.

So why would I even consider giving this follow up album the collectors/fans only label? Let me begin by stating that Dowsing Anemone With Copper Tongue does in fact have some really nice parts but as a whole this albums doesn't hold together all that well. For some strange reason this particular release works best when the band keeps the songs under the 11-minute mark. That way there is enough time to convey the emotion/atmosphere without making things feel too stale or over-the-top experimental.

I just can't get over the feeling that Kayo Dot is making long compositions just for the sake of it. Those tracks go in many different directions but at the end don't bring much joy or pleasure to my ears. Surprisingly the previous album's 14-minute long tracks never had that particular problem but those compositions always had a sense direction which gave them a purpose. I guess that I have to draw the line somewhere and the 18-minute monster of a track known as ___ On Limpid Form is a good place to do just that.

There is just nothing here that comes even remotely close to some of the fantastic compositions available on Choirs Of The Eye and therefore I don't see why anyone but the fans of this band would have any reason to even consider purchasing this release.

**** star songs: Gemini Becoming The Tripod (10:43) Immortelle And Paper Caravelle (9:42) Aura On An Asylum Wall (7:44)

*** star songs: ___ On Limpid Form (18:00) Amaranth The Peddler (14:07)