MADRA

MIRANDA SEX GARDEN is a weird band and "Madra" is a weird release even for them, just to start I must say that this album is the only one from their catalogue that has almost no relation with Progressive Rock, because it's mainly a collection of 25 Traditional British Medieval Madrigals sung by three young women with excellent voices.

All the tracks except the single "Gush Forth my Tears" are sung mostly a cappella. But don't believe that just because it's not Progressive it's bad, by the contrary the album is excellent, even the exigent classical critic received it with great enthusiasm, but must be appreciated by fans of this vocal genre.

"Madra" doesn't represent in any way what Miranda Sex Garden will become from their second release (Iris) but is essential to understand what's the background of this women, because even when they will develop a sound that blends Folk, Celtic. Gothic, Post Rock, Industrial and Prog, will always keep the love for Traditional British Medieval music.

It's worthless to describe song by song because we're talking about Madrigals which are essentially very similar, except for the already mentioned Gush Forth my Tears, which as they describe it is a Madrigal with a beat, in other words Medieval music with a poppy remix in the vein of early ENIGMA.

This song was released previously to "Madra" as a single, but Katharine always hated this remix, I read that still today she refuses to listen it.

I can say without any doubt that the voices are pristine, the lyrics describe pastoral scenarios and even strong emotions as love with great sensuality, in simple terms the poetry is provocative and the production is excellent, as a Medieval music fan I love the album and I can't rate it with less than 3 stars, but I don't encourage anybody who is not familiar with this genre to attempt buying it.

Unless you're a Medieval nut, better save your money and get any of MIRANDA SEX GARDEN later releases that would be easily appreciated by any Proghead which with the pass of the days will be reviewing for those who are interested in a different conception of Progressive Rock.