Arcadia - So Red the Rose

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Free Music Notes for So Red the Rose

Free Music Review: The first 5 stars I have given. A truly awesome music CD
Hit: 5 Stars

So why is it so good? I first heard it in about '87 when I was a 12 year old. Listening to it now still has me marvelling at its intense beauty. The songs are ageless and the atmosphere almost painful it is so strong. I remember the days when I used to read Jack London to this album, and this is a good way to get across how it makes me feel. "Call of the Wild", "White Fang" and other Jack London stories are, as we all know, about the wilderness of Alaska, a place of campfires and the place of hungry wolves and vicious bears. Through London's romanticising of this harsh world we feel something of Arcadia. To put it more succinctly, songs such as "Missing", "Lady Ice", "El Diablo" and "Keep Me in the Dark" would be a great soundtrack to a film adaptation of a London novel.

And onto the songs. Each has a very full richness to it. There is nothing "tinny" about any of the music here, like that which you may get with, say, "Hold Me" on the "Notorious" album for example. Each song is almost tangible as if it is more than sound coming out of your stereo. The whole album is like a carefully woven tapestry that, although not telling a story, still makes you think you have become part of something.

The first song, "Election Day", is the hit of the album and, perhaps surprisingly, my least favourite. I read a transcript of the lyrics once and could not make head nor tail of them. The music however does rectify the issue a little and we end up with a nice little opener that gives us a glimpse of what is to follow.

Next up is "Keep Me in the Dark". A quickie that does not make you think, but does draw you in. The title already tell us what the song is about and the music is still at the high level set by the first song.

"Goodbye is Forever" is a bit of a wierd one. A staggered bass hook and some soaring vocals mean you never know quite know how to take it. I disagree with those that consider this the best or the most intense or most whatever song on the album, but it again does keep us at a steadily and scarily high standard of music.

Kaboom! "The Flame" announces its arrival and takes us a step higher to a level of perfection that remains for the rest of this tragically short album. Simon is in incredible voice (I've not heard him better than on this album) Nick gives us plenty of keyboard to think about, and Roger's throbbing percussion made this one of my favourite singles for a very, very long time.

Like a sharp downshift through the gears, we hit the album's first ballad. "Missing" I am convinced is the forerunner of "Ordinary World". Dare I say it, but it is a far more emotive song. Magical at least, heavenly at most, moving? Extremely. I cannot say enough about this ballad. Simon sounds distraught. With each and every play I still feel pained at its beauty. I have to move on.

To a song which should be longer. "Rose Arcana" is a lovely little ditty of an instrumental which does have a long version (somewhere). Instead of being a tune on its own, "Rose Arcana" acts as a pretty opener to the album's most upbeat and relentless song, "The Promise". Sting provides haunting and very fitting backing vocals to this "message" of a song. It goes on for over 7 minutes as well and is an exhausting listen.

When I mentioned the Jack London thing before, it is most encapsulated by this next song. El Diablo (The Devil) has everything. The theme is ghostly and dark. The music is deep and infused with haunting panpipes and the vocals as ever are carried over the music in a way Simon has never managed before or since.

And to end. "Lady Ice". Bleak sounding title and very bleak sounding. The music is cataclysmic and the subject of the song is surrounded by power and doom. It is tragic and almost a little prophetic. It does not make you cry, but it does make you a tiny bit scared.

A very ominous way to end a listening experience like no other I have heard. None of my reviews have ever received 5 stars before, that is testament to how I feel about this album. It truly does take me to Arcadia.

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