Search - Current 93 :: Calling for Vanished Faces

A wonderful retrospective of a truly great band

09/30/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Calling for Vanished Faces" is a two CD retrospective of the impossible-to-classify British group Current 93. It's very much in the same vein as their double disc retrospective "Emblems," released in 1993 to mark their tenth anniversary. "Calling..." has very few tracks in common with "Emblems," though there is some crossover. It's a wonderful album to buy even if you already own "Emblems." For the Current 93 compleatist, there are only a few minutes of completely new material, but for everyone else, this release covers over fifteen years of material by one of the most intelligent, literate, and innovative groups out there. Beginning with the harsh apocalyptic noise of the early years, through the punkish folk music of the mid- to late-'80s, through the revelatory acoustic music of the early '90s and the gentle but still deeply affecting tone of the group's past few years, this two-disc set is a revelation for fans and newcomers alike."

Being Sick, Sick, Sick Never Felt So Fine

Michael Thomas Jones | Huntington, WV | 05/03/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Ahhh, apocalyptic folk music with ambient industrial atmospheres, and the awe-inspiring voice and lyrics of David Tibet, which soar from gnostic Christian flights of glory to Thelemic quests for endless liberty to harrowing explorations of the crushing weight of earth's torments.

While listening to this album I go through the full gamut of emotions: Laughing out loud, scared, confused, tears, awe, and joy. And back again. For me, this album is the best all around place to enter Current 93's "sick, sick, sick" world. "Outsider" music at its finest. . . . Gentle psychopaths of the world should love it.

One of the best anthology recordings I've ever heard. Not only are the individual tracks great, but the sequencing of the tracks is flawless with many tracks carefully bleeding into the next one. There are whole worlds contained within these 2 discs. A perfect place to start getting into one of the most potent U.K. esoteric bands ever. Don't miss it."

If you buy only 1 C93 Album

Travis M. Owens | Syracuse, NY USA | 08/30/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"After listening to most of the Current 93 releases I'd have to say this is the 'best bang for the buck' album. It contains the only folk music I've ever liked on the 2nd CD. There was only 1 or 2 songs I liked on the first CD which contains their older work which isn't as good as the acustic stuff they wrote in the mid 90s. Any music affilado should buy and listen to this, my tastes vary greatly and this is one of the cornerstones in my 300+ CD music collection. The only bad thing I have to say is that album doesn't contain my favorite track "The Cat is Dead" which can only be found on the Michael Cashmore/C93 CD."