Dead Can Dance - ITL - New Age?

[JCOConnell]

I'm not sure what genre it falls into, but I had my first listen of DCD's ITL this afternoon. The chanting, percussion, synths, female vocals I like, but I'm not so sure about the "songs" with the male vocalist. His singing is monotonic. I'll have to give it a few more spins, maybe it will grow on me. I bought the new 4AD reissue which sounds excellent, very low noise and just a few tics here and there. Not bad for a 2 record 33 rpm set for $24 shipped. BTW, is DCD New Age?

[Joe Appierto]

I think they most likely fall into the World Music and/or Alternative Rock and/or Electronic/Dance music categories. Brendan Perry (just like Lisa Gerrard) could be seen as an acquired taste.

[Bill Hart]

Glad you like the sound of the new issue. To me, Brendan sounds almost like '80s pop, and the contrast with Gerrard (who I find mesmerizing) is stark. A couple of those songs where he is singing are really good- Tell me About the Forest and How Fortunate the Man. But, when she comes back in, the whole feeling changes. Most people listen to Yulunga (Spirit Dance) as a demo track- I'm not sure how far beyond that they get. It is an acquired taste. I do think you get into it more if you are listening when you are in the right mood- and their records have grown on me. I'm also far more engaged by some of the long form prog rock that used to bore the shit out of me-- I treat it almost like symphonic music- large in scale, rather than individual tracks on an album. Perhaps giving it time may make it grow on you (or not). I wonder what you'd think of Roy Harper's Stormcock. It is an absolutely brilliant album in my estimation-- but it is offbeat and it might go right by you the first time you listen to it. Now, Stormcock is probably one of my desert island records. (Unfortunately, I don't have a recent issue to recommend, and the original UK pressings are probably somewhat costly now). Roy Harper has no similarity to DCD whatsoever- the point is simply that it is a bit of an odd record at first listen.
PS: My copy of the new 4AD had a little "grizzle" when first played- it quieted down after repeated playings.

[JCOConnell]

What year was ITL originally released?

[Bill Hart]

What year was ITL originally released?

1993.

[MylesBAstor]

I think they most likely fall into the World Music and/or Alternative Rock and/or Electronic/Dance music categories. Brendan Perry (just like Lisa Gerrard) could be seen as an acquired taste.

Yes it took me 20 years.

[Metamatic]

DCD started off quite gothic and dark in their unique alternative music. Dead Can Dance – Within The Realm Of A Dying Sun

Try having a ,listen to this from 1987. So haunting, so beautiful and for me their best album.

[JCOConnell]

According to allmusic.com : Release Date

September 14, 1993 Duration

55:26
Genre

Pop/RockJazzNew Age

Styles

Alternative Pop/RockAlternative/Indie RockDream PopEthnic FusionWorld Fusion

Submit Corrections Album Moods

Bleak Cerebral Gloomy Somber Ethereal Hypnotic Ominous Wintry Autumnal Bittersweet Brooding Cathartic Complex Confrontational Detached Eerie Intimate Literate Melancholy Reflective Sensual Sophisticated Stylish

[JCOConnell]

Ive listened to ITL a couple more times now and I think I have a better handle on my initial reservations about it. Initially I said I didn't care for the tracks with the male vocalist. Actually, some of them are OK, its just the first track on the LP featuring the male vocalist, "The Carnival is Over" that I don't like the track. It gave me a very bad first impression of the male vocalist, that's all. Since the LP is nearly an hour long, it could have been a stronger LP without that track on it IMHO. Otherwise, its a very good listen.

[philb7777]

Cool facts about ITL on vinyl. It has been released four times. First the original 4AD pressing - very good sonics and perhaps the best rendition of the release. 4AD stuff back in the 80's and 90's was pressed in France and the pressings are not superb. Then come the first MoFi release under serial number #2800. This rivals the 4AD release in sonics and a much better pressing quality. Mofi repressed the release after #2800 because of sales. However, they lost the plates. So they had to do it all over again. And guess what - they reversed the channels by accident. So from around SN #2800 and above, the channels are reversed from the original release. Then comes the recent 4AD reissue. Not bad, but sourced from digital files. It sounds great but pales in comparison to the other three. If you ask me (and I own all four versions), the 4AD original and the first Mofi (< #2800) are the ones to have.

[MylesBAstor]

Thanks so much for the info! I'll have to check the pressing number of my MOFIs reissue!

[JCOConnell]

So what you're saying is this is an analog master, highly unusual for 1993, but a good thing. I guess if I ever wanna upgrade my pressing I'll go for an early mofi. I'm still getting used to the male singer's "lazy" style of singing.

[JCOConnell]

regarding the late mofis with the reversed channels, remember the early stereo preamps that had mono-stereo-rev mode switches on them that would allow you to correct for reversed channels without having to swap any cables?