I just picked up an import copy of "RPF" at a bootleg
store here in NYC.
I couldn't believe I actually found one of the Aussie imports!
As I
expected it's great stuff! Vintage PG. Better than OVO, in my
opinion.
Very very ambient sounding with lots of trippy sounds especially
with
birds. Very melodic. Shankar plays on quite a few tracks to my
liking.
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan's vocals appear on "Crossing the Salt
Pan".
Fleetwood Mac's Peter Green contributes guitar on "Ngankarrparni"
and
"Cloudless". "The Nest that Sailed the Sky"
from OVO is used here in a
different way with the same basic sound except Shankar is featured
more
extensively and there is African percussion with Indian vocalists
featured to give the song a different feel.
All in all, this is a very beautiful album. It is very consistent
and
not all over the map like OVO. It ranges from down right bizarre
and
haunting to lush and beautiful, especially songs like "The
Return"
(Parts 1, 2, & 3) with it's beautiful string arrangements.
I've only listened to the album twice since I've only had it
in my
possesion for three hours. I would say there are similarities
between
"RPF", "Passion", "Birdy", and "OVO".
Whoever said that it is more
consistent with "Birdy" is right in it's ambience but
it's not as dark
as "Birdy". I can't really say that it beats Passion
because I'm not
sure that PG could ever top that album, but it definately ranks
up there
among his best stuff.
-Bobby-
==============some time later==================
I have now listened to "Rabbit Proof Fence" a number
of times and I have
to say that this is some of the most beautiful music Gabriel has
ever
recorded! Especially "Stealing the Children" and "Running
to the Rain".
It is definatley some of his most melodic music.
All the elements of his past glories can be heard on this.
Some of the
music reminds me of Deep Forest a bit although more bizarre and
Gabrielesque.
Simply put, PG is back and badder than ever. Looks like he's
finally got
off his tookus and has been hustling and cracking out the bacon
one
cheese cake at a time. Oh, I forgot to mention that the "Blind
Boys of
Alabama" sing on two tracks being "Sky Blue" and
"Cloudless" which gives
the tracks a nice soulful touch. Now, I remember PG mentioning
something
about using the Blind Boys for UP so I'm not sure if he used them
for
"RPF" instead or for both albums.
-Peace out Solsburians-
-Bobby (The PG Freak)-
Hi!
Nice surprise this morning! just received from Australia the RPF
soundtrack. Have you got already a copy?
Difficult to give an opinion after just 1 listening. I think it's
very delicate with many subtleties, and the sounds are much
lighter but weirder than Passion.
Some of the soundtracks reminds me a bit the work of David Sylvian
(do you know him? - he's done great things!) with Rain tree Crow.
Some contemporary influences. The theme from "the Nest that
sailed the sky" (Ovo) is nicely recycled in "the Return"
part 3 and another track. "The Return" is more
than 10' long and is based around a huge string Orchestra (arranged
by PG and Will Gregory from Goldfrapp)
The album is very fluid and more constant in it's ambiance than
Ovo. Lots of string orchestra are used and it's very nice to hear
Shankar featured on several tracks.
Almost all of the tracks have been written by PG, but contrary
to his previous works, this album has been arranged and mixed
by Richard Evans and David Rhodes. (He probably didn't want to
spend another 2 years on it:))
"Ngankarrparni" and "Cloudless" are both beautiful
developments of the track "Credit" you could hear on
PG's web site. Apparently both are declined from a (abandoned?)
track intended for UP called "Sky Blue". Manu Katche
and David Sancious are credited for the original version. "Gracie's
recapture" has also evolved from the version we knew. Very
nice strings have been added with a great new rhythm pattern on
the end (and also some PG vocals!)
Well, it's hard to say more after 1 listening. I think it's more
ambiant (maybe closer to "Birdy" by moments?) and "more
2002" than Passion. Is it as good? Too early to say, but
I think it's quite sure we'll get much pleasure from it for a
long time.
See you,
Christophe
:)