Arborea, Fortress of the Sun

Anybody who reveled in folk-psych sounds by artists like Tim Buckley, Tom Rapp and Pearls Before Swine, Nico, and anon, or even if you have not, Arborea gives you a modern day equivalent and extension, and a very satisfying listening experience. Their latest album, out as DL now, CD at end of month, and vinyl May 28th, Fortress of the Sun (ESP 5002CD), gives you an outstandingly spooky sampling of the cold-passion vocals of Shanti Curran and Buck Curran, plus the nicely weld string playing of both, electric and acoustic guitar, banjo, dulcimer and what have you, plus some backing rhythm as needed.

The songs are top drawer, reveling in the mists of a distant past or folk music of another planet. There are moments of deja vu familiarity--a remelodizing of the Cherry Tree Carol, a melody that reminds of Scarborough Fair, and a general aura of medieval hippie music.

It's simply haunting in the best sort of way. Shanti has an Ophelia-like fragility that has timeless appeal and the acoustic and sometimes band arrangements heighten the mood perfectly.

This album gives me shivers! What can I say? I now would like to hear the rest of their albums; that's what the experience does to me. But this one has a kind of perfection in and of itself. Revel in it!