Artistic Diversity (Miscellaneous)  »   Black Opal - comments?

I remember there already was a discussion concerning Lisa's latest album, but I cannot find it anymore so here I am starting a new thread.
Some time has passed since the release of the album, did you have time to listen to it closely, emotionally first, then rationally?

I'm still very curious about how it sounds. Is it more like Duality/MirrorPool or more like SilverTree/ImmortalMemory?

Also, has anybody of you ordered a physical copy? I bought mine on january the 8th but I still haven't received it (I live in Italy). I remember reading somewhere that it requires some special handling before it can be shipped, hope it's not lost on the way from Australia to me! How long did it take for you to receive it?

Yes I took a Deluxe Edition as well :)

What you said about the album sounds interesting, all those styles... and actually Trip Hop is a genre I used to like (Portishead!). As long as you define that trip hop, guess sometimes there is a high subjectivity within the categorization of bands within the boundaries of "genres".

Early Nick Cave Piano songs? Wow! /drool

Can't wait for this album, seems realy like the big thing! Not that I disliked Immortal Memory and Silver Tree, I think I already had a chance to talk about them. They undoubtely were good albums, it's just that they, don't know, lacked some personality? Not enough variety? I wouldn't know how to define my thoughts on them. Despite having apreciated them of course, they just didn't "dig" something deep in me, like Duality/MirrorPool and of course DCD albums certainly did :) (and Eye of the Hunter too, of course, incredible album!)

I have only heard it once and I more or less felt the same as with Silver Tree and Immortal Memory, I don't feel any real depth in it. It's a really good album, don't get me wrong, but it simply don't get under my skin. I do have high hopes on the new BP album though!! :D

I do respect her decision to experiment abit with styles, the flirtation with trip hop for an example. I think it's impossible, and even destructive to keep doing one and the same thing year after year. I also believe we'll hear a new more modern sound on the new BP album, from what I've heard in the press vid sounds incredible!!!

I think I have to give Black Opal a few more listens to get into it,...

I have only heard it once and I more or less felt the same as with Silver Tree and Immortal Memory, I don't feel any real depth in it. It's a really good album, don't get me wrong, but it simply don't get under my skin. I do have high hopes on the new BP album though!! :D

Same with me Peter! I don't know how to describe it. I think Lisa is very strong in her songs without lyrics, while the songs with English lyrics she sings hesitantly and soft. I don't hear her 'real' voice. If you get what I mean... I think I like the more down to earth songs...

(Great new album by the way Peter! ;)) I already have tickets for your concert with Arcana in Nijmegen! ;)

The album did not surprise me personally. I did not expect to hear anything else. Besides, it was clear prior to the release which songs will be on it (live performances circling around long before the release)... Yet, I must say I like the album. It is very mature and very Lisa-like (as a contrast to her collaboration with Klaus...), so yes, I think in a sense you can discover elements from all her past works.... The absolute highlight for me, personally, though is the track "Tell It from the Mountain".
It reminds me of the late Dead Can Dance and The Mirror Pool days very much... I guess that's why I love it... All in all, as mentioned above, it is a matter of taste, so if you are a "real" Lisa fan, you would love it just because her voice is so beautiful :-) if you are more of a "Brendan"-fan, logically, you will not take the album that seriously
:-)

I think Lisa is very strong in her songs without lyrics, while the songs with English lyrics she sings hesitantly and soft.

In a way this is true. For instance, someone in Lisa's forum mentioned that he/she preferred her voice on the live bootleg version of Black Forest because it is much more intense. However, I must say I love the "dreamy" way she sings it in the Black Opal.

Ah..thought it was you, Adrian ;)

And me :P hehe, but I've grown to like the album version now... I just had to stop thinking of the live version every time I heard it!

I had another listen to Black Opal today and it's actually growing! As you all might already know I prefer Brendans songs but this might one of her better albums in a while.

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=9180C7BC

better than black opal :)

<blockquote>http://www.megaupload.com/?d=9180C7BC

better than black opal :) </blockquote>

I don't know... people said a lot of negative things about Silver Tree and it turned out to be my favourite.

I'm defintely down for a Prague show, tho.

I received my BLACK OPAL today :-D

I hope I will able to buy Brendan's ARK deluxe edition album on concert... :-)

Seems like Holland is at the end of the road...

I've only listened to the album all the way through twice, and need to live with it a little longer before being able to respond to it more robustly, but for now agree with the person who said that the programming (song order) seems a little "off" in terms of emotional narrative. Perhaps I'll feel differently in time.

Lisa's more recent music doesn't speak to me as immediately as some of her earlier solo work, and I'm not sure exactly why. If anything, her more recent compositions seem to be more true to herself, more intuitively guided whereas in the past there were more discernible nods to existing genres or her own precedent with DCD. Ideally the personal fidelity would be a strength, and perhaps it is. She writes and sings from the heart and there's no criticizing that per se. I miss the high drama of her earlier music, but again, with maturity comes a less hyperbolic sensibility. I'd rather any artist was true to their muse than to continue repeating something they've lost touch with or outgrown.

Perhaps it's the cleanliness of the studio. The live versions of "Sleep" for example are enough to move me to tears, but as recorded for "Black Opal," the song sounds a bit, I don't know ... constrained?

One thing I've learned over the years is that listening to a new album just because you're excited that it's out isn't necessarily the best circumstance for true appreciation. There have been albums that I disliked for an entire year before coming to treasure them. Our musical minds have slightly fickle modes. The key to deep listening is to be or to get into sync, which is a gift when it occurs, but it can be mercurial. I think it takes time to assimilate good art, so for the time being, I don't trust my initial lukewarm response to this album.

Finally it arrived here as well :D
What can I say? Only had the time for a few listens so far, 4 times? I'm positively surprised. Really a good album, the best album from Lisa from the times of Duality/MirrorPool, in my humble opinion :)