Light & Shade

Light & Shade Artist: This Ascension
Label: Projekt Records
Category: Music


Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Format: Original recording reissued
Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1


UPC: 617026011622
EAN: 0617026011622
ASIN: B00005K9SU


Release Date: 2001-06-05

Light & Shade


Related Categories:

General General
Categories | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
Goth Goth
Categories | Goth & Industrial | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
General General
Categories | Rock | Styles | Music
Pop Rock Pop Rock
Categories | Pop | Styles | Music

Tracks:

  1. Ave Maris Stella
  2. Return
  3. Ill Met By Moonlight
  4. Chameleon Room
  5. Fearful Symmetry
  6. Lonely Place Of Dying
  7. August Rain
  8. Ashes Don't Burn
  9. Exit

Similar Items:

  1. Tears in Rain
  2. Walk Softly, A Dream Lies Here
  3. Between Earth and Sky
  4. Re: Initiation
  5. Water to the Dead

Customer Reviews:

2 out of 5 stars This Pretension?.......2005-07-06

Sorry, not my cup of mead. Wailing in a shower ... that's what keeps coming to mind.

When I hear that much reverb and echo on a vocalist I assume the desire is to mask the inadequacies of the singer. I'm unable to tell if this is the case here.

It seems just as likely that the producer thinks the effects increases the "gothiness" of the music. Combine this though with the "progressive" bass and effected drums and the band sounds more New Age, more Prog-Rock. Think October Project, not The Damned.

5 out of 5 stars i plead with you............2004-10-10

....for those fans of evanescence (sp), staind, the whole lot of misery-rock artists, i beg you, branch out, find something truly beautiful.

and that would be: THIS ASCENSION. this short-lived early 90's band made some remarkable music (although vocalist Dru is still in the music biz with another project).

This band has been categorized as "gothic", and more specifically, "ethereal", if not other categories. (if you wince at the thought of "goth", well, this isnt marilyn manson, or type o negative.) this music is hard to explain. the songs are well crafted, though-- not pop, but with hooks, beautiful melodies, crafty chord structure, etc.

"Light and Shade" is amazing. every song on it is listenable, although one shouldnt expect instant gratification (this is not commercial radio material- some songs may require a second listen).

still, there are guitars (this IS still rock and roll, after all), a vocalist with great range and whose voice texture is warm and sexy, yet piercing. the lyrics are interesting, and the drummer, honestly, kicks ass. the bassist makes his presence known as well with some good thumping licks.

know what? "sever", which is i believe TA's last studio album, is even better, but "light and shade" is a great cd. ive had this on cassette for many years, and recently bought it on cd. check out the samples here at amazon.com, and keep and open mind.

the songs are generally morose, but moving, and musically more intricate than other, current bands that try so hard to be dark and brooding.

5 out of 5 stars GREAT!!!!!!!!!!.......2004-03-05

All of This Ascension's CD's are worth the investment.
Light & Shade seems the most Siouxsie & The Banshee's influence.
If you love Siouxsie do not hesitate to get this!

4 out of 5 stars Making steady progress with each album.......2002-01-31

This Ascension gets better on each CD. Dru Allen's singing is more polished and confident each time, and the band doesn't hibernate in the off-season. "Light and Shade" sticks with tried-and-true themes of romance and angst, building on 1988's "Tears in Rain."

Their sound has always been as much indie as goth, and this balance keeps the songs from getting "weepy." The overall vibe is that of a college band, aware that the art students might want to dance just like everyone else.

Matt Ballesteros's drumming (yes, LIVE DRUMMING in dark music!) provides a strong backbone, and the rhythm section moves towards the classic "wall of sound." "Ave Maris Stella" starts the whole thing with a good blend of Dru's harmonies, keyboard-guitar interplay and an urgent beat. By the fourth track ("Chameleon Room"), you can tell Dru knows she sounds good. "Fearful Symmetry" would fit just fine between The Smiths and The Cure on an alternative compilation.

After a couple of more subdued songs, the upbeat instrumental "Exit" is a good bookend to "Ave Maris Stella." It kind of brings the album full circle.

If you like it moody but not mopey, This Ascension is worth the money.

4 out of 5 stars

Music Album:

  1. New York, NY ~ Soul Coughing
  2. Now ~ Ten Years After
  3. Bigger Than Blue ~ Jay Bennett
  4. A Night on the Town ~ Brownsville Station
  5. On the Street ~ The Moles
  6. Le Fun ~ Tah-Dahs
  7. A Dark Moon Night ~ Shroud
  8. House of Good Tires ~ Honky
  9. Kudzu ~ King Elementary
  10. Peace & Love, Inc. ~ Information Society

Music Album

Music Album

Music CD

Love Songs ~ Earl Klugh

Small Groups: 1941-1945 ~ Benny Goodman

Piano After Dark II ~ Bobby Zee

Warm Moods ~ Bill Perkins

Works ~ John Abercrombie

Portrait in Bill Evans ~ Bill Evans

Le Manteau de Pluie ~ Jean-Louis Murat

Collection Remixed ~ Dalida

Yuuyami ~ Junko Yano

Cicada ~ Gig Gigger Giggest