Customer Reviews

Fauxliage

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Fauxliage proves to be a beautifully understated and reflective release from Leigh Nash, Bill Leeb, and Rhys Fulber. It is always good to hear a non FLA release from Bill and Rhys that has consistent sound to it and, while it contains synths and pads reminiscent of Delerium and Conjure One, Fauxliage isn't just a Delerium or C1 spin-off. It sounds as if Nash had a great deal of creative input in the project and the album truly benefits from this. Fauxliage is never bombastic or of the epic scale that some Delerium tracks can reach. Instead it tends to keep itself planted in reality while still musing on the airy and seductive.
The past few Delerium albums have been sketchy at times due to, I believe, the lack of an official lead vocalist. In the case of the Fauxliage release, Leigh Nash's vocals and temperament fit perfectly and give it cohesiveness. The overall mood is melancholic, but the sincerity of lyrics keeps it from coming across as merely an exercise in otherworldly drivel as is so often the case with ambient electronic music. Quite to the contrary, the stories of loss, confusion, and anger woven by Nash are relatable and emotionally authentic.
I suppose it would be fair to say that if you enjoyed the Leigh Nash songs on Chimera and Poem that you would gravitate to the sound of this album. This isn't to say that Fauxliage merely takes the formula of those songs and expands it to a full-length album. It maintains its own personality while harking back to the previous collaborations between Delerium and Nash. I would recommend that listeners who did not particularly care for those Delerium tracks (Innocente/Run For It/Orbit of Me) to at least check out this album and give it an honest appraisal.
There are a few drawbacks which almost kept me from giving Fauxliage 4 stars though. The album itself has only 9 proper songs and they are not exceptionally long. As I prefer Delerium's early to mid-90s material, it would have been nice to hear some of the tracks (especially the instrumentals) extended to further showcase Bill and Rhys' mastery of the art form. Then again, Fauxliage doesn't pretend to be a Delerium release, so that objection is truly due to my personal tastes. The other issue is the remixes. They stick out terribly at the end of CD and disrupt the mood that culminates so beautifully with "All Alone." While remixes can be a fun diversion they are typically better suited for a single and it is especially true in the case of these.
I would hope that Fauxliage is more than just a one-off between these three talented artists. It is an extremely pleasant surprise that I find more enjoyable to listen to as a whole than any of the last three Delerium releases. Understandably, Bill and Rhys have a lot of irons in the fire, but perhaps Fauxliage will only be the beginning of an ongoing musical relationship with Leigh Nash.
On a side note, the artwork for this album is beautiful although it's somewhat humorous to see Bill and Rhys covered with vines and flowers.

I don't know why Amazon has this new project by Rhys Fulber, Bill Leeb, and Leigh Nash listed as Delerium when the project is actually called Fauxliage. Nowhere on the cd packaging does it say Delerium. I think this is why a few people were disappointed with the album. They were expecting another Delerium cd. Having worked with Leigh Nash of Sixpence None the Richer on the last few Delerium albums, Rhys, Bill and Leigh have re-joined forces for a full length album not under the Delerium name but as Fauxliage.

I had just heard about this new collaboration a couple of weeks ago. After hearing samples of their new songs, my curiousity was piqued. I have to confess that the album didn't really grab me right from the get go. The songs weren't as tuneful as Rhys and Bill's work as Delerium. I had to listen to the cd a few more times for the music to sink into my head. After a few listens, I began to really enjoy the fusion of pop, ambient, and folk.

I never really was a fan of Leigh Nash's work with Sixpence None the Richer but I have always enjoyed her collaborations with Rhys and Bill, especially on FAUXLIAGE. Her distinct vocals sounds much more palatable to the dreamy electronic/pop sounds of Delerium. I like the fact that FAUXLIAGE does not sound like a Delerium album. There is a warmth and organic sound that is rarely heard on Delerium's albums. The lush electronic beats are pure Delerium however the music is fused with guitars, bass, drums, and keyboards.

FAUXLIAGE may not be a perfect album but I still enjoy listening to it. The music is pleasant to listen to while drinking a steaming cup of tea and watching the rain gently fall from the sky.

Having read the many insightful comments made regarding Leigh Nash & Fauxliage I'm inclined to add that it makes for a pretty, relaxed, quasi ethereal listen. Rhys & Bill are a bit too understated, but, it's Leigh's record. Frankly, I've gone to programming out the two remix forms of "Rafe" and now enjoy the cd more fully. The cover art is lovely, too. It's this listener's recommendation that Fauxliage is best bought at a decent sale price.

One of the really cool things about Bill Leeb and Rhys Fulber is that they always take the listener in a new direction. Think about it; Delerium completely refined their sound with Semantic Spaces and has been changing ever since. When Rhys put out Conjure One, it was unique and brilliant at the same time but sounded nothing like Karma.

That being said, Fauxliage is not Delerium (or the name of the artist would be Delerium)... simple enough. Don't buy this album and listen to it thinking that you are going to hear Delerium.

What you are going to hear is a very unique and brilliantly produced album with a lighter sound than Delerium or Conjure One. Everything on the album (the arrangements, Leigh Nash's voice, even the album cover) seems airy, clean, and refreshing while having the layered and well-structured sound that identifies Bill and Rhys.

As for the songs, they are all good but the remixes seemed to have been put on the album to fill space. I would have rather seen some more original songs. Also, it sounds like somebody was listening to some Zero 7 (Simple Things) when this was produced since some of the instrumentals sound subtly influenced.

Buy the album and don't think too much when you listen to it, looking for signs of Delerium or Conjure One. You will like what you hear.

Now if only they would do a project with Joanna Stevens...

Some weeks ago I heard about this new project on the web and anxious awaited the album to arrive. I really love these soundscapes where Leigh Nash's voice is perfectly mixed in. You can say her voice comes in as some "additional instrument"... Though Leigh don't sings on all 11 tracks one can consider her as a full band member because she also contributed most of the lyrics.
These soothing alternative electronic pop sounds are slightly different from the other Delerium works but it's great to have the collaborations with Leigh Nash finally on album length. I've always enjoyed her former three songs with Delerium.
All in all I absolutely recommend this project as this is really relaxing music with pop abilities. Great mixes, nice beats and an awesome voice!

Good project that i've never heard, Leigh's voice is especially beautuful and the melody that the team of Delerium made is awesome, just think I'll enjoy this album till the end of this year lol

It's a shame Fauxliage never made it into the mainstream consciousness. It was a one-off project between Leigh Nash and Delirium so the likelihood of another album is low. I'm not familiar with Delirium's work, but Leigh Nash fans will likely enjoy this eclectic album with a smooth groove and some remixes with a nice dance vibe. Out of 12 tracks, there's only one song that I don't care for, but considering that most albums have only a few good songs, Fauxliage really strikes gold here. The 30-second samples are pretty good indicators of whether or not you'll like the album. That's what I listened to before I purchased the entire album (supplemented by a full-length track or two on my Pandora station), and I haven't been disappointed.

I have listened to this CD at least 13 times. This has to be the best CD since the Beatles in the 60's and ABBA in the 70's. Keep in mind that all music reviews are highly subjective.
Having said this, I wonder why this CD never makes it to the top 40. Last time I check that list, it is full of rap and country music. The kind of music I never listen to.
If you are a fan of alternative music, THIS IS IT!

I simply cannot believe some of the negative reviews of this CD. One listen only maybe? As the owner of a small world-type music store, the poor stuff stands out pretty quick, as in Oh NO Don't Play THAT again! We play the same CDs over and over again in a week's work. It is very rare I want to buy one myself and listen to it in my car or at home. This one is a winner. Beautiful, often reflective lyrics carried by a beautiful voice and a timeless, spiritual & mysterious kind of 'feel' throughout. Like Joni Mitchell's Don Juan's Reckless Daughter feel (not sound!). Off now to buy a Delirium CD or two, to see if they are worth stocking.

Heard one of her songs over and over on my Pandora station so I decided to pick up the CD. What a great choice.