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Delerium
"Poem"
Format:
CD/Album
Online date:
24/6 2001
Label:
Nettwerk
Genre:
mixed
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Three years have passed since Delerium, the most successful sideproject from Bill Leeb & co, released an album. The popular single "Silence", which featured the blissful voice of Sarah McLachlan - made a massive success, topping the charts in a number of countries.
Delerium have ever since the shocking release of "Semantic Spaces" been developing a more commercial sound that completely differs from the dark atmosphere of the old days. It turns to a broader audience, but on the expense of the early dark sound.
"Poem" comes as no surprise if you are familiar with Deleriums later material. Gregorian chanting, synthesized bass rhythms and ethereal vocals, everything beautifully arranged. I can't be anything more than amazed over the richness of the sound and production of this album. The great string arrangements and the subtle use of ethnic samples and electronics are all well balanced and extremely enjoyable.
"Myth" is a perfect example where the new acoustics are used at their best, creating a dreamlike and melodic song accompanied by the heavenly vocals of Joanna Stevens. Other highlights would include "Daylight" (with the first male lead vocals on a Delerium album ever) and the enchantment of "Inner Sanctum". There are a lot of beautiful songs to discover here.
The album also features some new voices and an even broader musical experience than on any other release so far. The biggest change would be the more frequent use of acoustic guitars but also the number of instruments used, and the many guest appearances. I do however miss the really strong, magical melodies Rhys Fulber created on previous albums, and it is a bit sad that he has departed from both Delerium and Front Line Assembly. "Poem" might not quite meet up to the fantastic "Karma", but is still a very powerful album that truly symbolizes what Delerium have become. This is an album to play over and over again.
/Viktor Kvant
Check CDDB tracklists for this record:
Delerium"Poem"
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Reader Opinions
Poem
Name: Richard 23 (4.15.117.46)
Rating: 4
I wish I didn't feel inclined to agree with funkervOgt, but it seems he is not alone.
Although "Poem" is better than a lot of more popular mainstream releases, it is disappointing compared to Bill Leeb's previous releases.
Although it was recorded after Rhys Fulber (1990-1999?) left, material produced with Chris Peterson and Greg Reely has always been better than "Poem."
I'll overlook half of "Odyssey (The Remix Collection)" since it contains remixed material from both Semantic Spaces and Karma. What I really don't get is why so many DJs have been producing so many remixes of Poem tracks (esp Underwater). There's literally hundreds of other Front Line Assembly, Delerium, Noise Unit, Intermix and Synthaesia tracks to choose from (Cyberaktif excluded).
Also disappointing was Delerium Archives (volumes 1 and 2; 2 CDs each). It contains material from seven Delerium releases before Delerium's current "Dance Club" phase. Delerium started out as more ambient (instrumental) project. I have two complaints about this collection:
1. It's incomplete: a couple of tracks from each release is missing.
2. Many of the tracks have been re-edited; samples have been removed.
This may be Nettwerk trying to cash in on Delerium's sudden popularity. Samples were probably removed due to clearance problems. And maybe Bill wasn't really involved in the compilation.
Oddly enough the current Delerium pattern mirrors the other once promising Intermix project.
"Intermix" and "Phaze Two" are sheer PERFECTION in the techno/trance vein. I rank them up there with FLA's Tactical Neural Implant. "Future Primitives" is a klunker in comparison. Probably just an unrelated collection of sequences which didn't fit anywhere else.
Delerium's current "Dance Club" phase began with two more outstanding must-have productions, "Semantic Spaces" and "Karma". Flawless layered Auditory Sculpture and Kristy Thursk's Angelic Vocals. Kristy is joined by guests Sarah McLachlan, Camille Henderson, and the dreamy Jaqui Hunt (from Single Gun Theory). If anything was missing, it would be Elisabeth Fraser (Cocteau Twins).
Kristy Thursk is noticably absent from "Poem". It doesn't fit. It sounds much less layered, perhaps rushed. This can't be simply because Rhys Fulber (1990-1999?) left. Bill has done great stuff with Chris Petersen, Greg Reely (as always), Michael Balch, and all by himself. I still highly respect Bill, he's an incredible talent who has come a long way since playing bass synth with Skinny Puppy (Remission and Bites).
I strongly disagree with Trent Reznor who suggested years ago something along the lines that releases by Bill Leeb and company are boring, repetitive and formulaic. In the hundreds of Leeb's tracks I have I have and treasure, I have yet to hear an obvious melody, bassline or track title.
If marooned on a desert isle I would want at least 30 of my Leeb CDs. I'd take along NIN's Pretty Hate Machine if there was room, no offense to Trent Reznor (who IS Nine Inch Nails BTW).
Sorry this was so long. Maybe I'll contribute reviews of the many other highlights of Bill Leeb's prolific career.
R23
Am I the only one... ?
Name: funkerv0gt (68.74.9.21)
Rating: 3
Am I the only one who thinks this album sucks? Seriously, almost every review I've read of Poem kisses the asses of Bill Leeb and Chris Peterson, but as far as I'm concerned, without Rhys Fulber, it's just not the same. The only two tracks I really liked were "Daylight" because it made use of the male vocals of Matthew Sweet, which a) hasn't been done before by Delerium, and b) actually made Sweet sound pretty damn good; and "Innocente" just because I like how the song is laid out, and is an obvious choice for a single-release. The rest of it just sounds pretty impotent when compared to Karma or their crowning achievement (of the post-1994 Delerium era, anyway) Semantic Spaces. I'm kind of glad that Rhys is back with Delerium, and I can't wait to hear what the upcoming Chimera album sounds like, but in my book, Poem = sucks sucks sucks!!
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