Search - Brendan Perry :: Eye of the Hunter

Eye of the Balladeer

Steven Yates | Greenville, South Carolina USA | 03/19/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"With this cd, the other half of Dead Can Dance has finally checked in. This isn't a DCD cd, and it reveals Brendan Perry as the more musically restrained of the two, but the overall mood of the eight tracks on Eye of the Hunter does recall certain DCD tracks such as "Severance" (from Serpent's Egg) or "I Can See Now" (from Toward the Within). Very pleasant material, but with an edge to it, an unease or disquiet which ought to characterize a collection of ballads. Mostly we have Perry's distinctive voice and acoustic guitar in the foreground, with flourishes of keyboards, occasional mandolin and a few other surprises backing him up. Thoughtful and thought-provoking lyrics abound. My own personal favorites are the haunting "Voyage of Bran" and the waltz-like "Medusa," but there's plenty of engaging material here in this beautifully focused debut. Brendan Perry wrote everything except Tim Buckley's "I Must Have Been Blind" (also covered by labelmates This Mortal Coil). Best appreciated alone, on a quiet Saturday night."

Farewell to saturday's child, cut loose before his time

Thomas Dean Nordlum | Montréal | 11/05/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I never understood how people could distinguish between Brendan and Lisa in Dead Can Dance, they were both so amazing and together they made amazing music (especially 'the host of seraphim' and 'the carnival is over') I haven't listened to Lisa's solo work as much, though I am shocked to hear that some believe her to be the creative force behind DCD, they both compliment one another. Anyway, this record is in the great tradition of such DCD songs like "american dreaming" "don't fade away" and "i can see now". My favorite is the cover "I must have been blind" which will make you fall apart. "voyage of Bram" "saturday's child" and "archangel" are major standouts as well. the whole record has a really somber, moody and warm melancholy/resigned sadness feel. After all these years of living and experience, this record seems to communicate the vision of life after many disappointments and joys. How do you describe being "cut loose before one's time"? How do you communicate those feelings of being helpless, but still having dignity? I think this record does that as well as can be done. I'm sure Lisa Gerrard's solo projects are worth checking out, but I think Brendan's solo record is phenomenal."

Takes getting used to, but lovely nonetheless

Steven Yates | 11/06/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Although I am still saddened by the demise of Dead Can Dance, it seems that the past year has seen more music by both Gerrard ("Duality" and "The Insider" soundtrack) & Perry now both solo than when they were still together. This album took some time to get used to (I kept waiting to hear Lisa's voice flow in somewhere), and the blues-like elements were also a bit of a surprise. Yet, I'm very much enjoying the whole thing, espcially "Saturdays Child", "The Captive Heart", "Archangel", and especially "Voyage of Bran". This is music for the more thoughtful and quiet moments of the day. It can feel like it's much too slow if one is expecting to hear the rhythms of a DCD song. But, taken on it's own terms, it's a lovely album with plenty of haunting and melancholic elements (yes, reminiscent of the best of Perry's DCD work) to make anyone satisfyingly wistful."