The Ventriloquist [Import]

The Ventriloquist | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 6, 2009)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: 101 DISTRIBUTION
• ASIN: B001D7NTTS
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #429,539 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Haunting and Indescribably Beautiful, September 28, 2008

By 

Kevin O'Conner - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Ventriloquist (Audio CD)

In one form or another, I've lived with this music for nearly a year now, and I still find it as captivating as I did the first time I heard it.

This collaboration between Katie Jane Garside (Queen Adreena) and Chris Whittingham is often categorized under Folk, but that is far too limiting a description of the music the pair has created. While the arrangements are largely built around acoustic guitar and the occasional slide, a healthy dose of atmospherics can also be found here and there. And Katie Jane's vocals are simply beautiful throughout.

For me, this album has much in common with 2007's Robert Plant-Alison Krauss collaboration (Raising Sand), at least in atmosphere. In comparison with that project, though, The Ventriloquist has a more haunting, intimate feel, particularly as the dark undercurrents that run through the songs reveal themselves.

I'm not sure if Katie Jane (who wrote the lyrics for everything but the title track) is exorcising personal demons, simply good at storytelling, or both, but this album is a haunting, compelling piece of work. Nearly every song is a standout, which is something you don't find much anymore.

Beyond that, I'm not sure how else to describe this album. I just don't think that any description I might come up with would do it justice.

This 2008 "worldwide" edition drops the bonus track found on the previous limited editions (though it is still included on the lyrics sheet), but adds two additional songs, "Consuela's Newt" (an in-studio improvisation previously available as a free download to those who purchased the limited editions) and "Boat Song". (Another related track, "He Doesn't Love You", is available as part of the digital single "House of Thieves".)

Diehard Katie Jane fans will already have the previous editions of this album, but that shouldn't stop them from getting this version as well. (It didn't stop me, that's for sure.) Fans of the aforementioned Robert Plant-Alison Krauss album may enjoy this as well.

Highly recommended.