Customer Reviews

Vera Causa

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

 

 

I was first skeptical about this album. After all, most of the songs are already contained in the previous three Faith & the Muse albums.
However, getting this CD was a pleasant surprise. The artcover is fine, the songs are nice (which is much to say compared to the previous Evidence of Heaven album). The material contained here is serious stuff for the Faith & the Muse follower: live tracks, superb remixes (like Rea's Obssesion's Elyria) and previously unreleased tracks. Plus, it contains songs that were only available through compilations, like Winter Wassail and Frague Ave Atqe Vale. This CD just confirms why F&M manages to appeal to a very wide and diverse audience. Keep producing more of this!

To me, the live tracks seem to be the core of this album. The live shows of Faith and the Muse are justly legendary, if only because they have always used real musicians and have not relied excessively on electronics. That in itself is a breath of cool air. The version of -Cantus-, especially, rocks well and truly. And I'm not just saying that because the lyrics are in Latin.

The first disc's compilation appearances and demo material is interesting, if spare. And the record ends with your typical selection of remixes. But even these do not annoy like they might. I'm tempted to mark down anything with that seems technofied. But I have to applaud one, if only for cleverness. That would be the dance remix of -The Sea Angler- from -Annwyn Beneath the Waves-, if only because that particular song, out of all of Faith and the Muse's repertoire, seemed to me to resist that kind of treatment. Not only does it work; but the remix also contains faint Hendrix allusions that are quite apt for the material.

This may not be the best introduction to Faith and the Muse; -Annwyn- or -Evidence of Heaven- would be that; but if you like this band, you want this record.

This album is just fun. There are some great remixes here, if you like remixes, which I don't, but the remixes on this double CD are just plain incredible. Monica Richards' vocals on F&tM's cover of Romeo's Distress are a beautiful tribute to Rozz Williams and no "Christian Death family" band could have done this better. If you are a fan of Gothic or Dark Wave music at all, burn anything you own of Tool or Cradle of Filth's and order Vera Causa. The taste buds what reside in your ears will thank you. ~Jaesyn Acheta

"Vera Causa" isn't the standard retrospective; the 2 CDs aren't filled with all the songs you've already heard 50 times, followed by the requisite Rosetta Stone remix. This album is an awesome collection of rarities, covers, live cuts and remixes. This collection does give you an accurate portrait of the band's sound, but you're nuts if you don't go out and get their other releases.

My only gripe is that they didn't throw in a couple of my favorites, "Fade and Remain" and "Rise and Forget" (both on "Annwyn, Beneath The Waves." Stop reading this fanboy review and go buy that album. I'll wait for you...)

If you haven't listened to Faith and The Muse before: The best I can convey their sound is Myth-Rock Romantique. That may be way off the mark, but I haven't eaten in four hours. From their 1994 debut "Elyria," right on through to "Evidence of Heaven," they've always melded styles as varied as film-score romanticism, celtic rock, 80s power pop and 90s darkwave. The lyrics are always intelligent (I defy you to catch 'em cussin' once), Monica and William are both gifted singers, and their albums always have the coolest art/packaging courtesy of Monica.

Disc 1, "Night," is a jackpot of compilation tracks, covers and demo cuts. If you're a devotee of the band, it's that much more fun to hear the development of their trademark sound. Their cover of "Romeo's Distress" is a nice tip of the hat to the late great Rozz Williams.

Disc 2, "Morning," is a selection of live tracks and remixes. If the US military played "Cantus" for our soldiers, we'd have the whole Bin Laden thing taken care of in about 43 minutes. Of course the live stuff is great; Mr. Faith and Mrs. Muse were smart enough to bring talented players along. Monica and William have stage voices as good as their studio ones. I'm not partial to remixes, but these versions prove that if you start with something good, you can end with something good. (HEY, THAT was really profound.)

"Vera Causa" does what the best "collection" CDs do: If you like the band, you'll love the new depth and perspective these songs provide. If you're new to it, you'll get neck-deep in it pretty quick. Faith and The Muse make addictive music, and I am gleefully hooked. If you get the chance to see them live, DO IT. You have to take me along since I gave you the heads-up.

Remixes of Faith and the Muse!Still good and goth...

"Vera Causa" isn't the standard retrospective; the 2 CDs aren't filled with all the songs you've already heard 50 times, followed by the requisite Rosetta Stone remix. This album is an awesome collection of rarities, covers, live cuts and remixes. This collection does give you an accurate portrait of the band's sound, but you're nuts if you don't go out and get their other releases.

If you haven't listened to Faith and The Muse before: The best I can convey their sound is Myth-Rock Romantique. That may be way off the mark, but I haven't eaten in four hours. From their 1994 debut "Elyria," right on through to "Evidence of Heaven," they've always melded styles as varied as film-score romanticism, celtic rock, 80s power pop and 90s darkwave. The lyrics are always intelligent (I defy you to catch 'em cussin' once), Monica and William are both gifted singers, and their albums always have the coolest art/packaging courtesy of Monica.

Disc 1, "Night," is a jackpot of compilation tracks, covers and demo cuts. If you're a devotee of the band, it's that much more fun to hear the development of their trademark sound. Their cover of "Romeo's Distress" is a nice tip of the hat to the late great Rozz Williams.

Disc 2, "Morning," is a selection of live tracks and remixes. If the US military played "Cantus" for our soldiers, we'd have the whole Bin Laden thing taken care of in about 43 minutes. Of course the live stuff is great, since the band can all play their instruments. Monica and William have stage voices as good as their studio ones. I'm not partial to remixes, but these versions prove that if you start with something good, you can end with something good.

"Vera Causa" does what the best "collection" CDs do: If you like the band, you'll love the new depth and perspective these songs provide. If you're new to it, you'll get neck-deep in it pretty quick. Faith and The Muse make addictive music, and I am gleefully hooked. If you get a chance to see them live, DO IT.

William Faith and Monica Richards show their true talent in this album. Going from their punk rock backgrounds to a medaeval ballad in the same concert. Having seen them live this album is a reaffirmation of their talent.

I'm still new to Faith and the Muse. I first heard of them when I picked up Autumn's album, "The Hating Tree," which was produced by William Faith. From there, I discovered the song "Cantus," and borrowed the "Annwyn, Beneath the Waves" CD from a friend. I was blown away by the merging styles on that album, from goth rock, darkwave, to medieval classical. It was all there, and it all worked. "Vera Causa" is a retrospective of Faith and the Muse, encompassing several live tracks, remixes, rarities, and demos. The live tracks really stand out, as these live versions show a band of versatility and passion. Besides the fact that it is a real band with real instruments, their alterations of certain songs add new dimension to old favorites, especially "The Silver Circle" and "All Lovers Lost." The remixes are impressive, since the band's music seems to defy the remix treatment, but they work rather well, especially the remixes of "The Silver Circle" and "Shattered in Aspect." I've heard several of the compilation tracks that appear here, but I have to say their cover of Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill" more than holds a candle to the original. I dare say it's better than Kate Bush's original. The acoustic version of "Annwyn..." is brilliant because it feels lighter, but is not lacking in intensity. It's still a powerful song. And without knowing anything about Christian Death, I can say at least that their live cover of "Romeo's Distress" is a pleasant listen.
Overall, it might not be the best way to get into Faith and the Muse (that would be "Annwyn..."), but for fans, this is a great collection of all that is good about Faith and the Muse. The music is atmospheric, enchanting, emotional, and just that damn good. I'm a new fan...and part of it is due to this album.

Faith and the Muse fans: don't be deceived by looking at the tracks on this CD and thinking, "I already have most of these. This album is worthless to me." Unlike many recent disappointments where artists simply stick their old songs on a CD with one or two new tracks and release it as a "new album" (you've got to stop this, Tori) Vera Causa brings something new to the table.

The morning CD includes compilation appearances, covers, aucoustic versions, and rarities. As for the covers, Faith and the Muse exceeds Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill" (I also like it better than Within Temptation's cover) and exceeds Bauhaus's "Hollow Hills." Those songs were meant to have a mediaval spirit to them, and the group adds just that. The piano version of "Patience Worth" adds a delicate shade to the song; one of my favorite moments in the album. The night CD is then composed of live performances and remixes. The quality here is well done--unlike many live performance recordings, it isn't muffled with intersperced audience noises. The live versions also make Monica's voice, at times acapella, really come to life. The percussion is unlike that on the studio tracks, with more of a tribal feel to it and a tie to the group's Celic influences.

Now, in addition to normally not being a fan of live recordings, I also tend to overlook remixes--very few work for me. These remixes, however, are not to be overlooked. So what does make a remix work? It has to revist what works in the original, then enhance a certain element of it. With the Toby Damnit mix to Elyria, for example, the techno adds a different layer to the mood, NOT just a layer for the sake of having an extra pulse that drowns the original value of the song. Other favorites are the geers and teeth mix to "The Silver Circle" and the Laboratory X mix of "Porphyogene." These mixes take us to another atmosphere, one more modern and ambient, while retaining the same aura that makes Faith and the Muse great in the first place.

A booklet inside the cover tells the story how Monica and William met and formed the group, and includes quotes and pictures. This uncommon feature is a nice touch, letting you get a personal connection to them. I give the album 4 stars instead of 5 only due to lack of fluidity--since it it a complilation, the transformations can be jolting instead of sweeping.