Customer Reviews

Staring at the Sky

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I recently discovered the Last Dance a couple of years ago, but like any fan of theirs will tell you, albums by this group are impossible to come by, seeing as they are all out-of-print( with the exception of the 1995 EP 'Tragedy', available on the band's website thelastdance.com). I saw them live for the first time late last year & it was definitely an experience I will never forget. As this CD is the closest to their current sound as we will get before the release of their new album 'Perfect' sometime in the 21st century, I will dwell on its importance.

Alright, for the uninitiated, the Last Dance are a southern california Goth band with a penchant for screeching, maelstrom-like guitars(a la the Cure's 'Wish' LP), dark, melodiously dramatic vocals, a steady bass & great beats and atmospheric keyboards. This may seem like pigeonholing the group, but its not, as the Last Dance has a wonderful sound accessible to one and all... The group is comprised of the extraordinarily talented guitarist Rick Joyce, stunning frontman Jeff Deim and the reliable rythym section of bassist Peter Gorritz and some drummer who's name has slipped my memory.

'Staring At the Sky' is 58 minutes of swirling, precious guitar-riffs, breathtaking vocals & traditional goth-pop/electronic dance arrangements, featuring five versions of the classic 'Do You Believe in Angels?'- the leading track from the bands' 1995 release 'Tragedy'. There is the well-known euro-dance version that seems to find its way onto every Cleopatra compilation, along with a quite-nice piano version entitled the 'Violets Piano mix'. Then there is a bizzarely titled 'Screaming Kitty' version of the song, and a few other cool little remixes. But the beauty is 'Do You Believe in Angels' isn't the best part about the record.

The CD also includes a Last Dance standard 'Flesh', the Peter Murphy-esque 'Mystery'- highlights. Its also got 'War'- a heavy Laibach-like thumping industrial remix, and 'Inside' from Fairytales.- Recommended!

This is an EP with 6 remixes and a couple new tracks. It is meant to be a single for "Do You Believe In Angels", but the band decided that they would rather release a 50 minute EP rather than the normal commercial CD single.

Of the 8 tracks here, 4 are remixes of "Do You Believe In Angels", including a wonderful dance version and a stunning piano/vocal version. All of these remixes are well produced and as good as, if not better than, the original.

The other 2 remixes are an incredible industrial/dance remix of "War" and trance-inducing, slow-moving electronic remix of "Inside" that is the best track on the EP. Both of these remixes outshine their originals.

The other 2 songs on the EP are new tracks, "Flesh" and "Mystery". They are both excellent songs and fit well with the other material on the EP. I would definitely recommend this EP, and am looking forward to the band's new album if this is what is in store!

I recently discovered the Last Dance a couple of years ago, but like any fan of theirs will tell you, albums by this group are impossible to come by, seeing as they are all out-of-print( with the exception of the 1995 EP 'Tragedy', available on the band's website thelastdance.com). I saw them live for the first time late last year & it was definitely an experience I will never forget. As this CD is the closest to their current sound as we will get before the release of their new album 'Perfect' sometime in the 21st century, I will dwell on its importance.

Alright, for the uninitiated, the Last Dance are a southern california Goth band with a penchant for screeching, maelstrom-like guitars(a la the Cure's 'Wish' LP), dark, melodiously dramatic vocals, a steady bass & great beats and atmospheric keyboards. This may seem like pigeonholing the group, but its not, as the Last Dance has a wonderful sound accessible to one and all... The group is comprised of the extraordinarily talented guitarist Rick Joyce, stunning frontman Jeff Deim and the reliable rythym section of bassist Peter Gorritz and some drummer who's name has slipped my memory.

'Staring At the Sky' is 58 minutes of swirling, precious guitar-riffs, breathtaking vocals & traditional goth-pop/electronic dance arrangements, featuring five versions of the classic 'Do You Believe in Angels?'- the leading track from the bands' 1995 release 'Tragedy'. There is the well-known euro-dance version that seems to find its way onto every Cleopatra compilation, along with a quite-nice piano version entitled the 'Violets Piano mix'. Then there is a bizzarely titled 'Screaming Kitty' version of the song, and a few other cool little remixes. But the beauty is 'Do You Believe in Angels' isn't the best part about the record.

The CD also includes a Last Dance standard 'Flesh', the Peter Murphy-esque 'Mystery'- highlights. Its also got 'War'- a heavy Laibach-like thumping industrial remix, and 'Inside' from Fairytales.- Recommended!