Customer Reviews

Tired Eyes Slowly Burning

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This album was produced around the same time as Skinny Puppy's "Mind: The Perpetual Intercourse" and the two albums share very similar sonic characteristics. Skinny Puppy had grown out of the dark Synth-Pop scene (often mis-nomered Industrial though they sounded nothing like those bands) and by '86 they had developed a super-clean masterful sound that should have hit the top of the charts in the US but never quite made it (mostly due to poor promotion). * This album is a slightly more experimental and laid back version of the same brilliance that appears on "Mind" mainly due to the absence of Ogre's vocals and the addition of Edward Kaspell's. * cEvin Key's music shines in compliment to Edward Kaspell's dreamy voice (his voice is reminiscent of Peter "Bauhuas" Murphy's, but he is by no means a copycat). Gone are Ogre's tortured demon vocals (except on one part of "You and Me and Rainbows" which is quite jarring) and Key's music takes on a totally different vibe without Ogre's agression. * Many of the Puppy tracks on "Mind" like "Antagonism" and "One Time One Place" "musically" sound virtually identical to this Tear Garden album (the Tear Garden is just a little slower in tempo and a little less dance oriented), but Kaspell's vocals add a dreamy magic that puts "Tired Eyes" in a whole 'nother world. * This album is easily one of my all time favourites and it is a MUST-HAVE for any fan of dark electronic music. And if you do enjoy this album, I also suggest buying Puppy's "Mind: The Perpetual Intercourse" as they are so similar in sound. * As for a comparison to the later Tear Garden albums . . . this album, alas, is unique. The later three albums (Last Man to Fly, Sheila Liked the Rodeo, and To Be An Angel Blind) while very good albums in and of themselves, sound virtually nothing like this album (with a few exceptions like "A Ship Named Despair"). The later albums are very "rock band" in structure employing live drums, bass, guitars etc. where as "Tired Eyes Slowly Burning" is almost purely synthesized music (drum machines and synthesizers). BUY IT, YOU'LL LIKE IT. TRUST ME

I have loved this album from the first time I heard it back in '87. Of course back then the record did not have Centre Bullet or Ophelia (they were on a 12" single) Also this vocal version of Centre Bullet was released waaaay before the instrumental version that appeared on the CD version of Bites (it was never on the original LP of Bites, I think the instrumental version was put in as filler) Anways this album uses a lot of similar synths as Skinny Puppy's Mind:TPI because it was recorded at around the same time period. A great mix by RAVE as usual... Very interesting, intricate percussion, gorgeous ambient synths (Dwayne Goettel makes his presence known here) and of course the amazing voice of Ka-Spel ever so quirky and hypnotizing.

There was once a time when I could never go to sleep at night unless Centre Bullet was playing in the background... pure bliss... Highly recommend!

There's some very ambient stuff happening here. It's very reminiscent of Skinny Puppy, but with more melody. Most of the songs off this one have a pretty catchy hook to them, particularly the songs `Room With A View", "Déjà Vu", and the album's epic, "You And Me And Rainbows". For anyone intrigued or curious about Tear Garden, this is the album to start with. It's by far their best one. Tear Garden's music as a whole is very experimental. This album, although maintaining the band's experimental sound, is the most mainstream of all their efforts. Don't let that deter you from any of their other releases, or indeed this one if mainstream is not your thing. All their albums have something different to offer, and it's all good.

I think this is the Tear Garden's second best CD next to "Last Man". The reason it sound so much like Skinny Puppy's "Mind:" CD is because all of the music was written and recorded by cEvin Key before Edward Ka-Spel ever laid down the vocals. This is really a cEvin Key/SP CD with Edward Ka-Spel on vocals. The reason I like "Last Man" is because it is much more of a true collaboration between members of LPD and Skinny Puppy. However, this CD is an absolute gem and I would urge you to pick it up if you can find it. I have seen it at mainstream stores such as Tower off and on for the last two years or so. "Shelia Like the Rodeo" is not a great CD in my opinion. Reminds me of the Chemical Playschool series from Legendary Pink Dots. There are a few good tracks but not great overall. "To Be and Angel..." is a decent CD but I have never been able to get into it that much. I think the Legendary Pink Dots' CDs are much better. Pick up the last 3 releases from LPD...they'll blow you away if you like the Tear Garden.

I bought this album back in '92 and I bought it simply because Cevin Key was part of the band and I liked Skinny Puppy. This is just as avantgarde as SP but with more of a melody and they have the awesome and long track you and me and the rainbows which is a modern day masterpiece. Deja Vu, Center Bullet and many others are just as good and this is one great album with quirky lyrics, amazing sounds and surprisingly good vocals from Edward Kaspel.

Ever since the slow decline of the Cure's darker side since Disintigration, the Tear Garden has EASILLY become my favorite band. A much bleaker and more cacauphonous group,it often finds the listener fidgety and uncomfortable and reaching for a FFWD button then retracting in a flash as a joyous merging of the disjointed come together making evident a track one might have thought to be slap-dash for the brilliant work it is. It is not for those without the patience to learn to enjoy this music, but given a chance, you might find it has creeped slowly into your list of favorites like a strangling weed, and forever changing your ideas about what modern music CAN be. I eagerlly await Crystal Mass to be released in March sometime..

What could be better. Two of your favorite bands coming together to combine their various talents, and create albums every couple of years.And this album is the best work to date. with songs like "centre bullet"(which is actually an old SP song from Bites), and the epic "You and me and rainbows", this album, in my humble opinion is a silent classic. Those of you lucky enough to locate this album will certainly consider it one of the best CD's you buy all year.

This release amazes me every time I hear it. This is the first CD released by the collaboration of members of The Legendary Pink Dots, and cEvin Key (formerly of Skinny Puppy), and the chemistry between them proves to be awe-inspiring. Their use of synths, unpredictable beats, and Edward Ka-Spel's voice and lyrics, combine to make this release a must have for both Skinny Puppy and Pink Dots fans alike. The fifth track, "You and Me and Rainbows," has a guest-appearance by none other than Puppy vocalist, Nivek Ogre, who makes this track especially frightening. Later on the CD, track seven is an adaptation of Skinny Puppy's "The Centre Bullet," with some of Edward Ka-Spel's best vox layer on top. In a word, this CD really does exemplify the word "brilliance."

I mean it! I had this album on tape (I know boo!)when I was in college and it got ruined in a flood 6 years ago. I am longing to once again hear the woefull tones of Ed Kaspell on "You and Me and Rainbows" while dreaming through cEVIN KEY's transendental electronic stylings. They remind the listener of that dream they can't quite grasp from the night before where you vaguely remember floating over technicolor seas after just leaving a feast of friends long gone by. So if anyone has a copy I'd be williing to pay big time!

Before I discovered Edward Ka-spel music, Skinny Puppy was maybe my favourite band. Now The Legendary Pink Dots are my favourite band. Why? because they manage to be very experimental while at the same time being so melodically beautiful. It's a balance very difficult to achieve, but Ka-spel and co do it with every LPD, solo or Tear Garden album.
Tear Garden is Cevin Key+Ka-spel.
And this album, their first, sounds similar (as many people have already pointed out) to Skinny puppy's 'Mind:the perpetual intercourse' or 'Bites'( there's even a song in common, too)
However, we don't have the disturbingly scary voice of Ogre but the disturbingly beautiful voice of Ka-spel. The sound is 100% electronic, with upbeats and heavilily electronic synthbass. Very good. The only problem, for me, is that some songs are not as good.
The best in my opinion are 'Deja vu', 'You and me and rainbows'( a 17 minute epic song, divided into 6 parts, some very melancholy (those sung by Ka-spel), some spooky and nasty on purpose (the one sung by Ogre), some instrumental and very scary, etc. 'Ophelia' is one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. 'The Center bullet' is a vocal version of a Skinny Puppy instrumental song appearing on 'Bites'. I have always liked this song but it seemd to me too long and boring as instrumenatl. With Ka-spel's voice everything makes sense. There are other very good songs, such as 'Room without a view', 'Coma', 'Valium', the atmospheric 'Tear Garden', which could be a Legendary Pink Dots song. 'Oo ee oo' is good but stmes bores me, and 'My thorny thorny crown' is good but I hate that alien voice, it reminds me of Chucky.
All in all, this is an album that shows how electronic music (and not fragile electronics, 'cos the sound of this album is as abrasive as Skinny Puppy) can be also warm and beautiful, if someone doubted it.
Anyway, I prefer The Legendary Pink Dots's more varied sound, but this is one of the best electro-industrial albums I've ever heard (and I own a lot) I used to miss good singers in the so-called industrial scene. There are some good ones (De Meyer from Front 242, for example) but Ka-spel beats them all.