?

Log in

Previous Entry | Next Entry


Red Roses and Dead Things

Overall: This is very nearly the cd of my dreams. The tracks range from light-hearted mad science fun to dark and creepy. The recording job on this cd, just like the other ones, has been fantastic. All the musicians do wonderfully to set the mood for each song. I have a few personal favourites on this cd, but generally this cd? Is the best cd about mad science and horror ever. Like my previous review, I plan on going through this cd song by song. Which means I can give specific squees about what I love. I have very little to complain about this cd, and I have so very much to love. I have to say, if you love mad science and horror, BUY THIS ALBUM. (NOW! Yes, right now, this moment. You won't regret it, I promise!)

Anyway, this is a cd of nods to and outright seductions of people who love mad science and horror films. There is no song on this entire cd that I skip, and I feel very attached to this cd already, because of how well it represents me and my love of horror and mad science (or as someone else pointed out, MAD SCIENCE!) Seanan McGuire is, in my opinion, one of the best songwriters I know of. The lyrics of her songs draw me in and then trap me so I can never leave. Each album keeps getting better and better, in terms of quality across the board. Seanan is friends with some very talented people, and we get some benefits from that friendship. (I continue to also adore Michelle Dockrey, Thirteen from her and Tony Fabris also lives permanently on my mp3 player, with all the music from Seanan.) I'm greatly looking forward to whatever Seanan will put out in the future.


Song: What A Woman's For
Singers: Seanan McGuire, Michelle Dockrey, Maya Bohnhoff
The harmonies on this are bewitching. This is one of my favourite songs. It's so.. I'm not sure how to describe this. It makes me think of something evil yet sexy, totally alluring. This song always makes me want to dance.. or possibly seduce someone and push him over the edge of madness. I cannot say how much I love the harmonies on this. The singers play off each other, taking verses, adding some small speech parts that just make this song absolutely something I could listen to over and over again. (And I have.)

Song: Silent Hill
Singer: Seanan McGuire
This song gets a little overwhelmed by some of the other songs on this album, but I've found that if I listen to it alone, it gives a really nice creepy vibe. I'll admit to one small absolute love on this song: when Seanan sings 'scenic Silent Hill', I just get a little shiver. It's a little shame that I'd almost be tempted to over look this, because it doesn't sparkle like some of the other songs, when really, this is also a really great song. There's nothing wrong with it, the accompanying music is nicely chilling and Seanan sings this so well.

Song: Protective Coloration
Singer: Seanan McGuire
This is a really light-hearted jaunt. I'm a huge fan of horror films and this touches on all the things about blondes in horror. This is a nice change of pace after getting seduced and the creeped out just a tad. This is sure to make someone smile and the real fans to nod and laugh.

Favourite line: "We say 'Johnny, is that you?' and just flounce off to meet our fate"

Song: Oh, Helen
Singers: Tony Fabris, Maya Bohnhoff
This is the only song that Seanan doesn't appear in, at all. It does not suffer for it. Tony is fantastic. I have to say, this is the sort of love song I'd want written for me (if I were a clone of a crazy woman and mad geneticist). There are lots of cute nods to computer/sci-fi geeks in the lyrics. I love that it's about a computer science major.. mainly because I have a guy who majored in computer science. :)

Song: Some Girls
Singer: Seanan McGuire
This is one that I could see being sung into a microphone from the stage of some dark little club. Like so many of the other songs on here, I love singing this.. which gets difficult as these songs are all on my mp3 player and I probably shouldn't sing this in public. This is the song for us zombie lovers. (George Romero shout out!) Again, double entendres of fabulousness.

Song: The Black Death
Singers: Seanan McGuire, Michelle Dockrey, Maya Bohnhoff
This is the happiest song about plague I've ever heard. It's a head bopping, School House Rock type of song. Very informational and the best use of haemorrhagic in a song I've ever heard, and epidemiologist. When I first listened to it, I couldn't help but dance around the living room and kitchen while I was cooking. It added a lot of goodness to a long day.

Song: My Summer Vacation
Singer: Seanan McGuire
This is the plaintive wail of someone who's been forced to do something they don't like. It's sung gorgeously, you can hear the unhappiness and the resentment of the character Seanan is singing for. Considering (if I remember correctly) that it is a song based off of Buffy, it's very fitting. Really, this is the song for when I'm just not thrilled with the world. (I've got a crossbow and I'm taking the dog. I hope you suffer.)

Song: Oh, Michelle
Singers: Seanan McGuire, Michelle Dockrey
A bit of a country touch to this (thanks to some amazing fiddle work by Amy McNally). This is just a funny song. The drop-ins by Michelle Dockrey just add that extra touch to make one giggle out loud. The singing has that wonderful touch of exasperation that really sells it and makes it the fun song that it is. (I love the drop-in 'Oh, I know! I know! Stephen King!' but that's because I'm a fangirl.)

Song: Another Mad Science Love Song
Singers: Seanan McGuire, Tom Smith, Saber, Paul Kwinn
This song seems like it's been plucked from a musical. It's sweet and funny and vaguely reminds me of 'Summer Lovin'' from Grease. Downside? Tom Smith's recording clearly wasn't as clear. There's more noise on his part than any other part, so he stands out and it lowers the quality on his part. Which is a shame, his singing is just fine, but because of this roughness on his part only, it doesn't stay on the same level as all the other parts. My boyfriend, when first hearing this song said 'I don't know, I don't like this song as much. The female part's just fine, but the guy's voice is bothering me.' Well, it's not his actual voice (Tom Smith can totally sing), but his recording. It's not bad enough to stop me from loving it though. This is the only complaint I can find on this whole cd, and it's pretty darn minor.

Song: Darkness Falls
Singer: Seanan McGuire
Supernatural love here. This is fast-paced but still.. due to the nature of the show that it's based on, it's sad. I really like the music that accompanies here. It's really driving and I love all the nods that the lyrics give to the show, such as the line 'But those wayward sons better carry on'.

Song: You Get the Tickets
Singer: Seanan McGuire
This is also another one for the horror film fans, and I really enjoy all the double entendres, and some straight up references to sex. Favourite line? "'Stupid people bite it' is my favourite moral." And the laugh at the end? Damn awesome, is what.

Song: Courting Gifts
Singer: Seanan McGuire
This. Song. Ohhh, what could I say about this song that could explain how much I love it. The dulcet tones of Seanan and the lyrics just make me shiver. I have a few songs that are leading the pack in plays, and this is one of them. This is a song that seduces and caresses and brings you a zombie to show you it loves you.

Song: Causes and Effects
Singers: Seanan McGuire, Michelle Dockrey, Maya Bohnhoff
While not my personal favourite of this cd, it's still wonderfully.. wistful, in a sense. I love how these three work together, harmony wise.

Song: Red Roses and Dead Things
Singer: Seanan McGuire
This is a song for those who want to woo us horror girls. Another one I just love singing along with. It's a little jazzy, and I think this will be my V Day song, because it's lightly romantic (not so dark and seductive as Courting Gifts) with it's own little twist.

Song: Dear Gina
Singers: Seanan McGuire, Michelle Dockrey
THIS! This song is gorgeous, and dark, and creepy, and I love it to bits. I don't know why, but it makes me think a bit of Stephen King and IT. Not because of any semblance of storyline, really, but the mood it gives off. I desperately want to know the story behind this song.

Song: Maybe It's Crazy
Singer: Seanan McGuire
This is the same track that appeared on Pretty Little Dead Girl, but ramped up. This is far more rocking and at a much better key for Seanan. I liked this on PLDG, I love it on RR&DT. The craziness of loving a mad scientist set to a driving rock beat just makes you want to dance and sing out loud how, 'maybe it's crazy, but baby love usually is'!
PS, Paul, your evil laugh? Fantastic! Do you work part time as a mad scientist?

Tags:

Comments

( 1 comment — Leave a comment )
beowulff
Feb. 10th, 2009 04:16 pm (UTC)
Fangirl! :P
( 1 comment — Leave a comment )

Latest Month

June 2014
S M T W T F S
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
2930     

Page Summary

Powered by LiveJournal.com
Designed by chasethestars