Remember “The Wicker Man” movie? No not the 2006 remake, but the 1973 English mystery horror classic based on the 1967 novel “The Ritual”, involving all things pagan?
Well, the Cobalt Chapel debut album is where all things mysterious, a bit horrific, even pagan reside, with music quite inspired by all those psychedelic, even progressive, if you wish (in a good sense, that is), sounds that dominated exactly the years between 1967 and 1973.
This British duo comprising Cecilia Fage (voice) and Jarrod Gosling (any keyboard you please) usher in the spirit of Wicker Man from the start with “We Come Willingly”, a murder tale and the tales of mystery and strangeness continue - “Ava Gardner”, “Who Are the Strange”, “Black Eyes”…
Fage has that somewhat detached ‘english folk’ voice that is perfect for any tale of mystery, while Gosling’s keyboards roam roam the ’67 - ’73 circle anywhere between Pink Floyd’s Rick Wright and Soft Machine’s Mike Ratledge, giving these ‘estranged’ songs an added layer of psychedelic mystery.
The highlights are hard to pick, but the solo layered vocals of “The Lamb” (actually a cover of a classic choral piece by John Tavener) are something not to listen to at three in the morning, if you are to get scared that is, while “Black Eyes” in a way recalls the best moments of other modern British psychedelic purveyors like The Broadcast and Stereolab.
And then there’s “Singing Camberwell Beauty”, where Cobalt Chapel use that old ‘mystery tune’ trick of playing a waltz, but in a manner that is fresh and interesting.
While Fage and Gosling do not reference “Wicker Man” movie in any way here, it is obvious that they are fans of a good old mystery and thriller, whether it involves a movie, like “The Children of Men” (the 2006 science fiction thriller), where the original John Tavener piece came from, or a good classic thriller TV series, like “The Avengers”, which seems to be the inspiration for “Positive Negative”, on this album.
What Cobalt Chapel have shown on this album is that they have a good grasp of the musical niche they currently occupy (not many good artists there), but that they have given themselves free space to continue to explore that avenue without really repeating themselves.
