SPLEEN AND IDEAL

The second Dead Can Dance album sees the band steering away from conventional gothic rock and deeper into the ethereal, esoteric realms only hinted at in the earlier album. In general, I tend to prefer the tracks showcasing Lisa Gerrard as opposed to Brendon Perry's, mainly because her Cocteau Twins-esque wailing seems more suited to the music in question. The album is particularly notable for the new and varied instruments working their way into the band's music, bringing out the chamber music and medieval influences in their sound. On the whole, it's another confident step along their musical development which will be of interest both to fans of their late career and to people arriving at the band's music through their association with the gothic scene.