published: 7 /
1 /
2008
Label:
Smooch Records
Format: CD X2
Black-sounding, but appealing 2 CD compilation from short-lived Denver-based early Gothic rockers Soul Merchants
Review
Denver’s Soul Merchants dubbed their music psychedelic death rock. During its short lifespan the band released three albums on cassette and one vinyl LP, ‘The Gates of Heaven’, an EP and several compilation appearances and served as a keystone to the town’s musical outcast community.
The sonic fingerprints of Siouxsie and The Banshees, Paul Roland, Joy Division are all over the 15 track sampler sent to reviewers as a stand in for the 2-CD set in stores (which apparently compiles everything but ‘The Gates of Heaven’, slated for separate release).
Portentous vocals, keyboards that sound like the electronic offspring of a Renaissance clavichord and a gloomy lyrical bent will be of the most interest to fans of bands like Fields of the Nephilim and Sisters of Mercy. Faint echoes of Doors tracks like ‘The End’ can also be heard. Some tracks, like ‘Armoured Factions’, deviate into slightly more herky-jerky, post-punk territory with more adenoidal singing.
Despite its humble origins on four-track tape, the tracks sound super crisp. This is probably a tribute to the talents of ex-Soul Merchant Bob Ferbrache, who went onto fame (or perhaps infamy) as part of Boyd Rice’s Blood Axis and as recording engineer to virtually every band on the Denver underground music scene.
I hesitate to recommend a set which I’ve only heard a third of, but assuming there hasn’t been too much cherry-picking, ‘1985-1987’ should definitely be of interest to fans of the early wave of gothic rock; psych fans may also want to pick it up for tracks like ‘Cold Dark Bed’, which features some truly wiggy guitar soloing.
Track Listing:-
1
Crown Of Glory
2
Joanna
3
It Hurts
4
Mary Had
5
Lady Godiva's Diary
6
Save My Soul
7
Mental Clay
8
Anthem
9
Carelessly A Boy
10
Marianne
11
Just One More Favor
12
When I Smile
13
Valentine's Day
14
Rotten Rose
15
The Meek
16
Patrick McCarren
17
Still Waters
18
In The Light
19
Ceremony
20
Atomic Reign
21
Blue Light
22
Beating Heart
23
Armoured Factions
24
Out Of The Shadows
25
The Sea
26
Cold Dark Bed
27
Love
28
Web Of Illusion
29
Within Josephine
30
Lucifer's Gunn
31
Joshua's Song
32
Nowhere Land
33
I Regret
34
Attics
35
Black Rain
36
Speedboat
37
Say It Isn't So
38
Cold
39
Kiss The Girls And Make Them Die
40
On Cloudy Days