The second edition of madness that is the Cerberus Shoal split-CDseries finds the Shoal trading songs with Alvarius B, with the intentof both artists recording each other's songs as well as their own.Alvarius B may be a name unknown to many, having recorded two LPs andlittle else, but it's the alias chosen by Sun City Girls guitarist AlanBishop. His music is acoustic folk, mostly, and his songs are justshort of justification for FBI monitoring. A title like "Blood Baby" isa pretty big clue towards the mood of the piece, and "Viking Christmas"may seem innocuous while it's everything but. The music is simple,merely there to underlie B's voice, which makes the compositions allthe more chilling. The chopping of babies and other flesh seems to bethe common theme for B's songs, and he delivers it all with a calm andmatter-of-factness that disturbs as well as it impresses. Occasionally,he gets into character, adding a realism and bite that sends shivers.Ghostly voices join in, cackling and haunting, and B seems almostresolute as his share of the nightmare concludes. The Shoal then takeAlvarius B's songs and make them more bombastic and grandiose, as wellas a bit more murderous. Horns, shakers, piano, and percussion providethe groundwork for the blood choir that makes "Blood Baby." There'shushed whispers, empassioned and insane vocals, and sounds that appearout of nowhere only to disappear again. This song is not to be listenedto in the dark. "Viking Christmas" is bludgeoned into the "Auld LangSyne" of a beer hall serial killer cult, complete with the clinking ofglasses here and there. Saving the best for last, though, "The RealDing" was their sole original contribution, and their arrangement isthe prettier over B's, with a multitude of voices accompanying atypewriter as the song begins. Bizarre lyrics and unusual instrumentsmake for a rocky ride, but in the end the song is anchored by oddpercussion, banjo, and a seductive rhythm. This CD is the best yet ofthe Shoal's little project, and at this rate, the whole series will bethe year's musical sleeper, gaining strength with each volume.- Alvarius B - Blood Baby
- Alvarius B - Viking Christmas
- Cerberus Shoal - Viking Christmas
- Cerberus Shoal - The Real Ding
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