Fairytales of Slavery

Miranda Sex Garden | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 28, 1994)
• Original Release Date: June 24, 1994
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Mute U.S.
• ASIN: B000003Z69
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #242,221 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Cut

2. Fly

3. Peep Show

4. The Wooden Boat

5. Havana Lied

6. Cover My Face

7. Transit

8. Freezing

9. Serial Angels

10. Wheel

11. Intermission

12. The Monk Song

13. A Fairytale About Slavery

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

This string-driven British quartet once specialized in Dead Can Dance-style reveries. Here they move into full-throttle sonic overdrive in collaboration with producer Alex Hacke of Einstürzende Neubauten. Bleak and harrowing European artistry abounds, though a faint resemblance to the Cure circa Disintegration make "Cut and Peep Show" passingly accessible. --Jeff Bateman

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A mesmerizing album, July 15, 1998

By 

John William Daly ([e-mail]) (Muenster, Germany) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fairytales of Slavery (Audio CD)

'Fairytales of Slavery' is probably Miranda Sex Garden's most rocking recording to date, should they ever bring out a successor. They are not everyones cup of tea, as they are difficult to listen to and are musically quite demanding, but this speaks only for the high quality of music and sound. I remember them having a hard time as opening act of Depeche Mode's last european tour a few years back, but the guys from Depeche Mode know good music, the reason why they chose Miranda amongst others. It is difficult to describe Miranda's style. The vocals are gracefully female, in a classical sense, so they do not sound like Alanis Morrisette but more like Dead Can Dance or Cocteau Twins. The music explores the more intense and passionate aspects of people involved with the darker and more passionate sides of love and sex, hence also the fitting title. The guitars are not the dominating aspect, but violins and a driving rhythm section, especially on their songs 'cut' and 'pee! ! p show', last of these being one of my all time favourites. It is certainly not gothic, but far beyond that musical category. The music and atmosphere on the album are far to grown up and mature to be confused with that kind of sound. Miranda Sex Garden are certainly an arty band, but this fact can certainly not be used as a reproach. It is music for serious listeners, who can appreciate this highlight. It is not for people having only a shallow taste in music and it is intended even less so for a superficial audience. All in all, it is an album I admire and respect, as well as love to listen to.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A beautiful controlled chaos, October 7, 2005

By 

Stranger (Spain) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fairytales of Slavery (Audio CD)

Same as its predecessors ("Iris", "Suspiria") "Fairytales of Slavery" defies easy categorization and continues the band's classic line of genre-breaking fusions which so good turned out to be in their two previous releases. Produced by Einstürzende Neubaten's Alex Hacke, the album displays a noisier and harsher instrumentation. Relying on a lot of feedback and heavy percussions, "Fairytales of Slavery" reveals itself as Miranda Sex Garden's most experimental and sweeping album. There's also more changes on the line-up and Hepzibah Sessa replaces the departed Kelly McKusker. Other musicians like Andrew Blick or F.M Enheit (from E.N) also make an appearance. Katharine Blake's vocals and lyrics (slightly perverse and ambiguous) are bewitching as ever and she is occasionally accompanied on singing by Donna McKevitt. My personal picks in the album would be "The Wooden Boat", the eerie "Wheel", "The Monk Song", "Freezing" (my very favourite) and the bleak "A fairytale about slavery".

As a whole the album drags a little bit on its second half and that's why I rank it a little below compared to "Suspiria" or "Iris", but nevertheless both its volatility and theatricality make it a fascinating album that you won't forget easily. Definitely recommended.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Why Haven't this band broken through?, June 14, 2000

By 

A. Copp "topo872" (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fairytales of Slavery (Audio CD)

Has anyone heard this band but me? Awesome all female Goth/Industrial hybrid is like Enya meets Skinny Puppy. But that makes it sound way more simplistic than it is. This band deserves some attention immediately!

The songs Cut and Fly are austounding visions of heartbreak and sadness and peepshow is amoung the best songs of the goth genre ever recorded. While TRANSIT and SERIAL ANGELS display an aptitude towards intrumentals that is rarely matched anywhere.

Buy this now!