Malediction & Prayer [Import]

Diamanda Galas | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 17, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: EMI Europe Generic
• ASIN: B000026ZI9
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #109,057 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Iron Lady

2. The Thrill Is Gone

3. My World Is Empty Without You

4. Abel et Cain

5. Death Letter

6. Supplica a Mia Madre

7. Insane Asylum

8. Si la Muerte

9. 25 Minutes to Go

10. Keigome Keigome

11. I'm Gonna Live the Life

12. Gloomy Sunday

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you hated "The Singer", then this is the one for you, August 26, 2000

By 

Michael (Olympia, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Malediction & Prayer (Audio CD)

After "Panoptikon", "The Litanies of Satan", and the "Masque of Red Death Trilogy", many felt betrayed by Galas' release of the piano-voice setting of "The Singer", sensing in it something like a commercial swerve toward more mainstream music. Whether or not this was true (one could hardly blame her for wanting to finally earn enough rent money for once), with "Malediction and Prayer" Galas revisits "The Singer's" spare simplicity of piano and voice, with complete success. The stunning quality that I remember from the Singer tour, but which seemed almost entirely absent on the album, is here captured with total effectiveness. You may safely disregard "Tired's" review below. And if Galas' other music is just too far out for you, then steeping yourself in the total performances of this recording will help you to begin to understand why Galas has such a devoted following.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars you must be certain of diamanda galas, October 7, 2003

By 

Brian R Yandle "Brian R Yandle" (High Point, NC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Malediction & Prayer (Audio CD)

if you are ready to be knocked flat, you might just be ready to try malediction & prayer. this may be diamanda's most tame cd to date & perhaps one of my all-time favorites. for those who have been curious enough to delve into her extensive catalog but weren't quite brave enough, this should be the first album you purchase or listen to. there's so much great material on prayer that i can't really begin to tell you which song to listen to first. in fact, i never skip a track when i listen to it or play it for friends.
to really describe what you 'll hear for the first time is about as difficult as telling you how you'll feel on the first day of school. you will most likely feel a tingly feeling in your spine when first listening to malediction & prayer but you'll get used to this feeling with time. witness the eight-octave range of the voice behind the piano & i'm certain every listener of classic music or blues will be thoroughly impressed. though not an easy listen by any means, malediction & prayer may be slightly tame in comparison to other works of ms. galas which are often considered intense at best but nevertheless packs the same punch as some of her earlier work.
here we have all live material which primarily comes from the concert for the damned. unlike the singer, the piano is much more crisp & less jagged which makes this a far better listen in my opinion. also, i think diamanda's voice here is a lot easier on the ears. most songs you'll hear are either traditional songs from around the world or classic blues/ r&b so i'm certain you've probably heard a great deal of them performed somewhere before but nobody does any of them quite like diamanda galas & i don't think anyone ever will. with a voice as versatile as her own piano skills, one cannot help but admire & respect the great talent behind such masterful sounds.
should you ask what other female vocalist diamanda could be comapred with, i can name a few even though very few of them have quite as much range.

patti smith, marianne faithful, tina turner, janis joplin, marias callas, edith piaf, & jessye norman

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful and Honest, May 21, 2000

By 

Peter F (Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Malediction & Prayer (Audio CD)

This is the most beautiful piece of work I've ever heard. Galas' voice captures the meaning of each song as easily as can be done. Her voice beautifully adds emotion to the lyrics. Songs such as 'Iron Lady', 'Si la Muerte' and 'Gloomy Sunday' made me think of how precious life is and how terrifying life can be at the same time. Especially these pieces of work will make you want to listen to this album over and over. 'The Thrill Is Gone', 'Insane Asylum', and 'I'm Gonna Live The Life' are harder songs, with a much higher voice use. 'I'm Gonna Live the Life' will inspire you greatly when you feel alone and when you feel like life is festering away and when you feel like you're a nobody. This beautiful album will make you think about the world, but especially about your own life, and will encourage you to keep on going.