SIRENS & SILENCES/WORK RESUMED ON THE TOWER/LETTERS HOME

News From Babel

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RIO/Avant-Prog

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News From Babel Sirens & Silences/Work Resumed On The Tower/Letters Home album cover

4.39 | 20 ratings | 3 reviews | 50% 5 stars

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Boxset/Compilation, released in 1990

Songs / Tracks Listing

Sirens & Silences:
1. Odysseus (2:56)
2. Auschwitz/Babel (4:07)
3. Klein's Bottle (3:17)
4. Black Gold (3:09)
5. Devils (1:16)
6. Dry Leaf (2:51)
Work Resumed on the Tower:
7. Arcades (of Glass) (7:44)
8. Victory (5:19)
9. Anno Mirabilis (4:08)
Letters Home:
10. Who Will Accuse (2:38)
11. Heart of Stone (3:04)
12. Banknote (3:19)
13. Moss (3:58)
14. Dragon at the Core (4:39)
15. Dark Matter (4:20)
16. Waited/Justice (5:09)
17. Fast Food (3:13)
18. Late Evening (4:58)

Total Time: 66:85

Line-up / Musicians

- Lindsay Cooper / bassoon, saprano & alto saxophones, piano, keyboards
- Chris Cutler / drums, eletrics, percussion
- Zeena Parkins / harp, prepared and electric harps, accordian
- Dagmar Krause / vocals
- Bill Gilonis / bass
- Phil Minton / voice (9, 14), trumpet (8, 9)
- Robert Wyatt / vocals (10, 11, 13, 16, 18)
- Sally Potter / vocals (12, 15)
- George Born / bass (4)

Releases information

CD ReR Megacorp ReR NfB, R�RNfBCD (1995 UK)
3CD ReR Megacorp ReR NfBOX, ReR NfB1, ReR NfB2, ReR NfB3 (2006 UK)
CD ReR Megacorp ReR NfB 1, ReR FbCD (UK)
CD ReR Megacorp RēR NfBCD 1, RēR NfB1, ReR NfB (UK)

Thanks to Geck0 for the addition
and to The Bearded Bard for the last updates
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NEWS FROM BABEL Sirens & Silences/Work Resumed On The Tower/Letters Home ratings distribution

4.39
(20 ratings)

Essential: a masterpiece of progressive rock music(50%)
Excellent addition to any prog rock music collection(20%)
Good, but non-essential (30%)
Collectors/fans only (0%)
Poor. Only for completionists (0%)

NEWS FROM BABEL Sirens & Silences/Work Resumed On The Tower/Letters Home reviews

Showing all collaborators reviews and last reviews preview | Show all reviews/ratings

Collaborators/Experts Reviews

Review by Sean Trane
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Prog Folk

NFB can be consider as Henry Cow Mk4, Slapp Happy Mk3 or Art Bears Mk2, as the continuation between the projects is rather obvious and even constant. Taking off where Art Bears left off, the appearance of Bostonian Zeena Parkins has changed the musical bents as well. With the debut album SAS/WROTT (made from two chapters), Dagmar Krause's voice is a strong reminder and link to art Bears but inevitable Slapp Happy as well. In the second album, Letters Home, Robert Wyatt takes the main vocals duties and is doubled by Sally Potter. But of course this project is yet another spin-off from Henry Cow's wind and keys mistress Lindsey Cooper (the lone composer) and percussion master Chris Cutler (the lyricist). The music is severe yet playful, cacophonous but also unexpectedly sensuous at times, abusing unusual chord progressions and odd-time signatures, shrieky vocal squeals to make haunting chamber music, nicely complemented by Zeena Parkin's harp.

The ReR label has reissued both albums in a 2 on 1 retrospective, gave it illustrations (intriguing and appropriate drawings for the debut and haunting photos for the second) makes it the obvious acquisition. Please read the individual album reviews to get fuller impressions.

Latest members reviews

5 stars News From Babel. What an accomplishment! This review is really for both works, as they fit so nicely together. In fact, if you don't have the recently released "box set," it is worth every penny as the remastering is beautifully handled. The thing about the entire family of Henry Cow, Art Bears ... (read more)

Report this review (#408800) | Posted by tmay102436 | Sunday, February 27, 2011 | Review Permanlink

5 stars Flippin ingenious, sparse, poetic, gorgeous and deep. This CD combines both News From Babel 45 LP's, featuring vocals of Dagmar Krause and Robert Wyatt. I only ever had the LP of Work Resumed On The Tower, so finding it combined with more great music I'd never heard was a bonus. There are ... (read more)

Report this review (#102691) | Posted by | Monday, December 11, 2006 | Review Permanlink

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