"All The Pretty Little Horses" (also known as "Hush-a-bye") is a traditional lullaby from the United States. It has inspired dozens of recordings and adaptations, as well as the title of Cormac McCarthy's 1992 novel "All The Pretty Horses".
Today's version is made by the British experimental music group CURRENT 93, a band that has been working since the early 1980s in folk-based musical forms. The band was founded in 1982 by David Tibet some time prior to forming the group).
CURRENT 93 made two versions as "All The Pretty Little Horses", for their 1996 album of the same name, one sung by Nick Cave the other one by CURRENT 93. There's also a third version, sung by Shirley Collins, on the compilation Calling for Vanished Faces
The version we pick today is with Nick Cave on vocals, enjoy this lullaby.
Monday and a new week, which means it's time to introduce this week's "Record Of The Week".
First, I must inform that I am without "turntable" right now. Actually it is not so bad at all, it's on service and upgrade, gone more than a week or two. This means that I listen more to the digital format than I normally do, but on the other hand it gives the opportunity to listen on things that are not normally "to be found" on the proper format. This week's "Record Of The Week" is one of those, no Vinyl is made as far as I know.
"A Passage To Rhodesia" is the latest release (10th album) from the Luxembourg based neo-folk singer songwriter Jerome Reuters "ROME". He is know for his storytelling about history and 20th Century conflicts. Like the album "Flowers from Exile" was about the Spanish Civil War and "Nos Chants Perdus" is about the French Resistance. The latest album "A Passage To Rhodesia" is about the Rhodesian Bush War.
The album is soft, beautiful and warm where the story grows from tune to tune. Jerome Reuters voice is deep, sensitive baritone like and in a perfect shape to tell a tragic and sad story about the cruel war on the other side of the planet. His way of singing and voice reminds me of NICK CAVE. ROMEs musical and lyrical world is genuinely unique, blending traditional songwriting craftsmanship, unusual arrangements and fine poetry into one monstrous and intimate musical output that combines chanson, dark ambient, apocalyptic folk, pop, acoustic rock, martial industrial, cold wave, all rolled into one impressive avant-garde package.
Reuter’s songs are firmly in the tradition of chansonier heroes like JACQUES BREL and LÉO FERRÉ, but in a strange mélange with the darker brands of (post-)industrial music culture. ROMEs lyrics are inspired by world literature from Camus to Genet and Jerome’s frequent use of collage and sampling techniques serves to create a new kind of intertextuality between word and sound. The lyrical beauty of Reuter's compositions, the depths of his poetry and the complex experimental arrangements make ROME an unusually challenging musical experience
"A Passage To Rhodasia" is a great release and I could really recommend this album even if you can't get it on Vinyl, I hope he will release it.
There is a limited box version where a 10" vinyl is included, but it only have two tracks.
Todays tune "Hate Us And See If We Mind" is taken from the album "A Passage To Rhodasia", released August 10, 2014
Listen to "Rome - Hate Us And See If We Mind" on Spotify