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AMI 030CD
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"Tenebrae is Theo's fourth long-player and second with Amish (also see Dearly Beloved, [AMI-025]), marking the return of his patently unique songwriting, which includes a variety of regionalist folk-stylings -- the mountain music one discovers along the Appalachian trail; a Southern Gothic lyricism; northwestern eco-spiritualism; and above all, the music discovered in the woods just beyond a tent revival. Angell's densely hermetic iconography reflects an artist well-versed in myth, the avant-garde filmwork of Kenneth Anger and Stan Brakhage, and the ethno-poetics of Brion Gysin. Oh, and Theo's singing voice is unquestionably one of the most expressive and expansive in outsider folk today. Theo grew up in rural Oregon, was home-schooled along with his siblings by his minister father, which provided him little exposure to mainstream pop culture; the tunes on Tenebrae reflect these conditions, documenting both a reverence for and rebellion against isolation and spiritual absolutes. To that end, the title song, which is the Latin word for darkness, references a religious ceremony that involves the extinguishing of candles in advance of holy week. The album's song-cycle reworks various primitive musical forms to new and celebratory ends, twisting these styles into a unique brand of folk-psychedelia. For this outing, the Tabernacle Hillside Singers include, among others, Matt Valentine, P.G. Six, Tom Greenwood and Samara Lubelski. Tenebrae highlights again Theo's unique poly-vocal pyrotechnics and will no doubt prove to be one of the most beautiful records of the year." Comes in a mini-LP style gatefold sleeve.
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DIGI 050CD
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"What can I say about Theo Angell? He's an artist, a musician, a filmmaker, a shaman. He lives and works in New York City, but plies his trade all over the country. Angell is perhaps best known for his work in Hall of Fame and Jackie-O Motherfucker, and also as part of Samara Lubelski's live band. But with the release of Auraplinth, all that will change. This is Theo Angell's opus. This is his masterwork. It finds him at his absolute peak and delivers an album unlike anything else. He uses his voice to etch out a detailed map of the stars, made up of dirt and bone, proving the organic nature of the cosmos. Auraplinth is an amalgamation and invention, joining foundation with the ether. Both of these forces are constantly at work throughout these 15 tracks. His voice is molded into every possible form. At times it reverberates above a river of folk-inspired melodies, while at other moments, he creates a bed of sound with wordless vocal moans. That voice is the glue that holds this great document together. On Auraplinth, Theo is once again joined by the evolving cast of characters known as The Tabernacle Hillside Singers. This time it includes Cynthia Nelson (Ruby Falls), Dan Brown (Hall of Fame) & Josh Stevenson (Magneticring)."
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AMI 025CD
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"These songs were transmitted to us from the ever-elusive former Hall of Famer and Jackie O'Motherfucker contributor. Upon hearing the material, we were surprised to discover that Theo's playful approach to music evidenced in those outfits has transformed into a batch of fantastic and well-structured songs, with inventive orchestration and accomplished playing. Written and recorded in Portland, at the Rare Book Room (Brooklyn, NY) and Sumsilobatem Studios, Degenfeld, Germany, Dearly Beloved references a diverse array of sounds: the dark folk of Michael Gira's Angels of Light; the surreal and gothic lyrical inventions of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds; and Syd Barrett's more ambling work, where lyrical and musical lines veer and coast along without a clear destination."
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