Song to the Siren: Live in San Sebastian (two-disc set: CD & DVD) [Live]

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Song to the Siren follows 2000's Damon and Naomi with Ghost, a latter-day psych-folk landmark that found the veteran indie-rock duo collaborating with the Japanese band Ghost. This collection doesn’t display the sonic variety and detailing of the studio album, but the relatively spare disc has its own charms. A cover of Tim Buckley's "Song to the Siren" is one of the album's highlights. The couple's vocals, Yang's melodic bass, and Kurihara's delicate fingerings give full expression to the song's mystery and romance. Kurihara's playing is fine throughout, whether he's producing watery arpeggios, cello-like tones, or searing solos. Live discs often drain the atmosphere right out of a band's music, but that isn’t the case here. This quiet album is brimming with mood and nuance. --Fred Cisterna

Song to the Siren: Live in San Sebastian (two-disc set: CD & DVD)
Average customer rating:

Quite lovely, really.

Bonus points for the DVD

Song to the Siren: Live in San Sebastian (two-disc set: CD & DVD)
Damon & Naomi
Manufacturer: Sub Pop
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
General | Rock | Styles | Music
General | Live Albums | Rock | Styles | Music
Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000063IUW
Release Date: 2002-04-23

Tracks:

Judah And The Maccabees
The New World
Eye Of The Storm
Song To The Siren
The Navigator
The Great Wall
I Dreamed Of The Caucasus
New York City
Tanka
Turn Of The Century
Love

Amazon.com

Song to the Siren follows 2000's Damon and Naomi with Ghost, a latter-day psych-folk landmark that found the veteran indie-rock duo collaborating with the Japanese band Ghost. This collection doesn't display the sonic variety and detailing of the studio album, but the relatively spare disc has its own charms. A cover of Tim Buckley's "Song to the Siren" is one of the album's highlights. The couple's vocals, Yang's melodic bass, and Kurihara's delicate fingerings give full expression to the song's mystery and romance. Kurihara's playing is fine throughout, whether he's producing watery arpeggios, cello-like tones, or searing solos. Live discs often drain the atmosphere right out of a band's music, but that isn't the case here. This quiet album is brimming with mood and nuance. --Fred Cisterna

Album Description

After the Damon & Naomi with Ghost record came out in the Fall of 2000, Damon & Naomi toured extensively with Ghost guitarist Kurihara. This live CD captures a memorable performance in San Sebastian, Spain. And, packaged with the CD is a 54-minute DVD tour diary made by Damon & Naomi, chronicling their European tour.

Customer Reviews:

Quite lovely, really........2002-05-09

This two disc set documents Damon & Naomi's European tour. The first disc is a recording from their show in San Sebastian, Spain. The quality of both the recording and performance are superb. While performing as a trio (with expert guitar flourishes from Michio Kurihara of Ghost), they decided to ditch the drumkit (kind of a pity, as Damon Krukowski is one of the few rock drummers whose style can be described as "ethereal" or "dreamy") and go with acoustic guitar, electric guitar (wailing e-bow leads or tastefully plucked accompaniments), electric bass, and harmonium. Even with three instruments, they manage to crank out a dense, dreamy sound, presenting interesting variations of tunes from their last three albums (but somehow overlooking their absolutely faboo 'More Sad Hits' LP). Definite high point is the title track, the Tim Buckley cover where they score points in my book for using his original lyric, "I'm as puzzled as the oyster". Kurihara's lead guitar work occasionally approaches and even crosses the "..." line, but all in all, this is a very mellow, pensive, yet intense live album.

The second disc is a DVD that chronicles the places and people that these three encountered during their tour. Among the cast of characters and opening bands documented here: the Clientele getting almost "Interstellar Overdrive"-ish, a Joy Division tune covered in Welsh (appropriately enough, in Manchester), the multi-accented British businessman reading the various reviews of Damon & Naomi, the absolutely incongruous opening band in Amsterdam with their anthemic "kill all intellectuals" rocker, the "dressing room" at their Paris gig, etc. I think this was all done with hand-held digital video, but it's well edited and quite entertaining. There's also the commentary track, but we've yet to watch that one. We will, tho'. Soon.

Oh, yeah. There's also a Gram Parsons tune covered on the DVD which doesn't appear on the first disc (prolly cos they didn't play it in Spain?...).

Bonus points for the DVD.......2002-05-07

This two disc set documents Damon & Naomi's European tour. The first disc is a recording from their show in San Sebastian, Spain. The quality of both the recording and performance are superb. While performing as a trio (with expert guitar flourishes from Michio Kurihara of Ghost), they decided to ditch the drumkit (kind of a pity, as Damon Krukowski is one of the few rock drummers whose style can be described as "ethereal" or "dreamy") and go with acoustic guitar, electric guitar (wailing e-bow leads or tastefully plucked accompaniments), electric bass, and harmonium. Even with three instruments, they manage to crank out a dense, dreamy sound, presenting interesting variations of tunes from their last three albums (but somehow overlooking their absolutely faboo 'More Sad Hits' LP). Definite high point is the title track, the Tim Buckley cover where they score points in my book for using his original lyric, "I'm as puzzled as the oyster". Kurihara's lead guitar work occasionally approaches and even crosses the "wank" line, but all in all, this is a very mellow, pensive, yet intense live album.

Oh, yeah. There's also a Gram Parsons tune covered on the DVD which doesn't appear on the first disc (prolly cos they didn't play it in Spain?...).

Music: