I like The Mission. Not that I'm a Goth or anything. I think I taped this from my brother. The Mission were quite big when I was a student. Gothery in general was big when I was a student and Sixth Former.
I like the dark brooding unrelenting nature of the album as a whole. My favourite tracks include Hands Across the Ocean; Mr Pleasant - a lovely boppy poppy tune, yet with dark brooding Gothy undertones, and a bit of a Twenties style rhythm. Sophisticated pop. And yet, simple. Kingdom Come is really quite beautiful.
I think what I like about the best Goth stuff - like the best Punk - is that it is extremely tuneful, and also has complex instrumentalism. I guess that's why I find so much modern pop music so boring is that the tunes are predictable and the instrumentalisation is so bland.
Birds of Passage starts with a piano and background strings then that drmataic gravelly voice comes in. Then it builds up into a semi-anthemic chorus, with the drums coming in. There's something gorgeously haunting about the whole song. I think that's partly to do with the key it's written in. Then the guitar takes up the piano theme.
Heaven Sends You is one very erotic song that just builds up. Sweet Smile of A Mystery is yet another superb track.
I don't really know a great deal about The Mission, but, on the evidence of this album, they are gifted musicians. And they're on tour in September. Matt, if you're reading this, fancy a night out on the 20th? (Their only London date clashes with tickets I've already booked to La Fanciulla del West at the Royal Opera House).
I've probably had this album fifteen years and I have just realised how utterly utterly brilliant it is. Laugh at me but I've just fallen madly in love with The Mission. God, this album is good. Quite possibly the most underrated record in my entire record collection!
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