THE GOLDEN AGE

The Legendary Pink Dots' customary psychedelic haze coalesces here into a choking miasma of gothic darkness on The Golden Age, a downright sinister album which evokes a haunting, melancholy atmosphere that pervades every single composition. When it gets back down to Earth, as on songs such as Lisa's Separation, it's a gloomy and poetic evocation of everyday mystery; when it launches itself into more fanciful lyrical territories, the bizarre phantasmagoria we are presented with is reminiscent more of nightmare than dream. Borrowing plenty of gothic rock motifs and bending them in tripped-out ways, this is darkwave for the madhouse. Four solid stars.

After the previous release "Any Day Now" the six piece band broke up leaving them as a four piece here with guest guitar in Bob Pistoor who would be a full time member on their next record "Crushed Velvet Apocalypse". Like "Any Day Now" I'm just not getting their sound here, this is dark and twisted but also boring. I might just be LPD'd out and this is my last review of many it seems over this past year or more. Anyway as I've mentioned several times my favourite period of music from this band is the 90's without question. It's hit and miss before and after that for me but mostly miss.

I do feel that one of their best songs is on here in "The More It Changes" which doesn't sound like the rest. Almost upbeat with vocals, synths and beats. It just sounds like it's on another level from the others. This album is fairly negative lyrically and that along with the dark sound caused a lot of goths to latch onto the band at this point. I mean "Hotel Noir" brings out that vibe for sure.

The opener "Maniac" starts us off on the wrong foot in my opinion. I just don't like the lyrics and that repeated line "Kiss the ground she walks on". And then this is followed with "The Talent Contest" as seen through a girl's eyes. No I'm good thanks. I do find "Stille Nacht" interesting and mysterious. Like "The Talent Contest", "Lisa's Separation" is a subject I have no interest in. Again negative stuff. "Black Castles" has it's ups and downs while "And Even The Vegetables Screamed" is a short apocalyptic piece that is very cool.

This just isn't a four star record in my world and bye Ka-Spel!