DREAMLAND

First instalment of a conceptual trilogy based on amusement park's (Dream Land was its name) destruction after a fire in 1911 on Coney Island. Apparently the group had changed fairly drastically both sonically and personnel-wise from their debut album, a few years before. As you might guess, the music is very circus-like and can present similarities with some Gypsy/klezmer jazz music, namely Emir Kustica's music on the Underground film of the mid- 90's, but coupled with a good dose of Appalachian folk musics. Brian Carpenter is still the leader and main (only?) composer and plays a wide variety of instruments, but he's joined by some 8 more members or guests who play strange instruments such as tube washboard, accordion, and a rare tenor banjo. Don't get fooled by the "gothic" description of the project, the music is nothing close to gothic rock or metal, though.

Musically, we're not far from bands like Alamaailman Vasarat or Ramlosa Kvallar and to a lesser extent Miriodor or Cro-Magnon., but there are difference, namely in those afore mentioned Americana musics and some Spanish-sounding trumpets and ragtime pianos, but if any of the group just mentioned don't please you, you'd be advised to stay away from this album. The music is fairly constant, oscillating on that weird avant/gypsy music and the eastern US folk, but it is filled with Circus and amusement park noises between the songs, and contrarily to many of the groups mentioned, these are real (and relatively short) songs with vocals, courtesy of leader Carpenter. Btw, wait a few seconds when the album draws to a close, cos there is a small bonus

If you're already familiar to AV, RK, Miriodor and the likes, and you don't wish to expand more in that direction, you might want to avoid this one and its successor. But in case you are a freak for that kind of music, feel free to indulge in Beat Circus and plunge in Dream Land.