From Brad Rose, Digitalis Industries:
“In the world of 23 Productions, Davenport is king. But the multitudes of related projects often survive on their own merits. Leannan Sith is one such group. Made up of John Gould from Davenport and Kelly Shippy, the duo offers psychedelically-structured songs and open-air improvisations. Six tracks of free spirits and organic hypnosis make up the bulk of this self-titled debut’s 53 minutes.
The strongest points of this CD-R is how it begins and how it ends. Acting as bookends, “Descent” and “Heart Cave” transport the listener from the confines of their car or living room to the cool, crisp forest air of Appalachia. “Descent,” which opens the album, is a short guitar piece accented by stereo renderings of cricket chirps and cicada drones. The way in which the insect recordings pulsate in both sides of my headphones is dizzying and wonderful. It gives it such a transient feeling, like I am constantly on the move. Ghostly echoes follow the bright guitar strums like a shadow and give a certain melancholy to the piece. It’s a beautiful, calming opening to this great record.
“Heart Cave,” on the other hand, is the longest piece on this CD-R. In fact, it’s longer than all the other tracks combined. It is a simple track, but thrives in that context. What amounts to little more than a recording of wind, “Heart Cave” is an excellent track to close this album. You can hear leaves on trees rustling, and wind chimes are present throughout. The reason it works, though, is because this album starts slow and eventually ascends toward maximum tension on the next-to-last track. “Heart Cave” is the ultimate release; it brings the listener down to a heightened state of relaxation. Every time I listen to this, I just want to close my eyes and fall asleep. It’s a great way to close out a record.
In the middle of these ends there are more song-oriented pieces. Gould and Shippy share vocal duties throughout. On “Another Drop May Do Him In,” Gould’s voice is deep and warbly as he howls, “I never fell in love in the first place.” A silly break-up song this is not, however. There’s a whole mess of added atmospheric instrumentation that makes this song feel haunted. It’s more sordid than it is cheesy. Drenched in reverb and echo, Gould’s vocals sound like someone singing alone on his way to hang himself from a tree in front of his ex’s house. Its slow tempo has the feeling of a funeral procession as it plods along. Leannan Sith brilliantly combine all these elements into a downtrodden, anthem of self-pity. I am very impressed.
Perhaps even more impressive, though, is how well “Another Drop May Do Him In” interplays with the next track, “Voces Magicae.” Shippy sings this quiet track in a barely audible whisper. It’s like hearing the aforementioned scenario play out in the ex’s mind. Watching her ex hang listlessly from a tree, she whispers, “I know that you’ll come back to me.” It’s enchanting to hear her sing with such confluence. The added bells and wind sounds add to the desolation of the piece. Your emotions will be stirred, that much I guarantee. This is magical stuff.
Leannan Sith further proves that Davenport and the whole 23 Productions gang have reached a level of quality that most artists only dream of. What I love about this CD-R is that it offers something entirely different than the rest of the 23 Productions roster. With its more song-oriented and structured moments combined with dense atmospherics and field recordings, Leannan Sith is truly an original piece of work. This is a group to watch over the next year, and if they continue getting better like Davenport did, we’re all in for a treat. 8/10″
Leannan Sith
Leannan Sith
MediaFire Download Link
Tracklist:
01. Descent
02. Go Home
03. Another Drop May Do Him In
04. Voces Magicae
05. A Rose Exposed
06. Heart Cave
