Customer Reviews

Vol. 1-2-Cathedral Oceans

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Dive into a ethereal and submersive work of art in Foxx's "Cathedral Oceans." An original concept album that deals with something along the lines of a vast, invisible church that exists... somewhere. As for the music itself, it is very much as the name would suggest, with vast and wide church choirs set amidst ambient phrases. Without a doubt, it fills a gap in my record collection (Christian vocal music).

John Foxx sure is an interesting character. After being left behind in the New Wave 80's rock scene he started cranking out these deep, abstract concept albums left and right. My favorite of all his works is the one he did with minimalist composer, Harold Budd. It was on the double album "Translucence and Drift" that Foxx did some of his most amazing work. I think Harold's minimalism is a good counterpoint to Foxx's wall of sound. Indeed, there are times on "Oceans" that I wish Foxx had simply left a minimal ambient track without vocals here and there.

Regardless, it is a refreshing though slightly New Agey work of art that I welcome with open arms in this age of shallow, transient flotsam. Best tracks are :

Shimmer Symmetry
City as Memory
Aven Collonade
Through Summer Rooms

This album is beyond words. John Foxx is truly an innovator. He separates himself from the "creative geniuses" of his age with this collection. David Sylvian and John Foxx have become the only musicians from this era that are standing-out, yet releasing other cds that show they can rock. Bravo John. If Dead Can Dance could have only done something like this, their cds would have been worth keeping.