Yet another pressing with several months of delay has finally arrived. Looking at the Southern Lord CD version on the Burning World Records merch stand at Roadburn had made the waiting a little more painful, but the relief is all the more sweet now that I finally can hold this beautiful signed gatefold in my unworthy unwashed hands.
ANNA VON HAUSSWOLFF - Live at Montreux Jazz Festival (gold/black marble 2LP) (2022)
If you are already a fan and have ever been on an Anna von Hausswolff YouTube binge during the last four years, then you will surely have watched the video of "Come Wander With Me / Deliverance" with her sister Maria on perfect pitch harmonies from this performance.
No, it's not a secret that the 2018 show at the legendary Swiss Montreux Jazz Festival has been a remarkable career highlight among the always mesmerizing performances of the Swedish singer and multi-instrumentalist. And after her long break from singing with the release of and touring churches with the pipe organ album "All Thoughts Fly" there couldn't be a greater reminder of her full band's magnificently towering glory than finally eternalizing this pinnacle of her "Dead Magic" shows tour for heavy rotation at home.
Even though I've been lucky enough to witness this particular tour twice (in Hamburg and winning Roadburn 2019) I don't think I have yet found the adequate words to truly match what an otherworldy experience Anna von Hausswolff creates with her music. But just as me even the best recording will never be capable of preserving all of the magic. That being said "Live at Montreux Jazz Festival" comes as close as you could possible wish for and captures everything that counts:
The all-encompassing organ, the wall of monumental drone rock and one of the most haunting and beautifully piercing female voices in today's music period. Anna von Hausswolff as a Kate Bush fairytale siren. As a Diamanda Galas demon queen. As a Michael Gira shaman and master of ceremonies. The arrangements being slowed down to an even more profound intensity than their studio versions. Maria von Hausswolff, who regularly directs and stars in her sister's videos, syncing so perfect with her that on first listen you could actually miss her guest vocals or mistake them as great usage of effects.
Consisting of all tracks featuring vocals from "Dead Magic" - and proving that both "The Mysterious Vanishing Of Electra" and "Ugly And Vengeful" are among the greatest songs of the last decade - plus "Pomperipossa" and the aforementioned "Come Wander With Me / Deliverance" from "The Miraculous", there logically isn't one weak minute on this album. No, this is as mandatory as a live record can be!
The artwork is also stunning and the black/golden pressing the best I received from Anna's own label so far. The only shortcoming of this wonderful release is that it omits the final track "Gösta", during which both Hausswolff sisters walked through the audience - a moment already inexplainably indescricable when Anna does it alone. But maybe just that could have made the audio unusable for this album? I can only speculate, because there's definitely no lack of space, since the double LP only spreads over three sides.
Well, we can never get it all. And this slice doom and Heaven is already much more than any of us deserves.
No, it's not a secret that the 2018 show at the legendary Swiss Montreux Jazz Festival has been a remarkable career highlight among the always mesmerizing performances of the Swedish singer and multi-instrumentalist. And after her long break from singing with the release of and touring churches with the pipe organ album "All Thoughts Fly" there couldn't be a greater reminder of her full band's magnificently towering glory than finally eternalizing this pinnacle of her "Dead Magic" shows tour for heavy rotation at home.
 |
| live at Kampnagel 2018 |
The all-encompassing organ, the wall of monumental drone rock and one of the most haunting and beautifully piercing female voices in today's music period. Anna von Hausswolff as a Kate Bush fairytale siren. As a Diamanda Galas demon queen. As a Michael Gira shaman and master of ceremonies. The arrangements being slowed down to an even more profound intensity than their studio versions. Maria von Hausswolff, who regularly directs and stars in her sister's videos, syncing so perfect with her that on first listen you could actually miss her guest vocals or mistake them as great usage of effects.
Consisting of all tracks featuring vocals from "Dead Magic" - and proving that both "The Mysterious Vanishing Of Electra" and "Ugly And Vengeful" are among the greatest songs of the last decade - plus "Pomperipossa" and the aforementioned "Come Wander With Me / Deliverance" from "The Miraculous", there logically isn't one weak minute on this album. No, this is as mandatory as a live record can be!
 |
| live at Roadburn 2019 |
Well, we can never get it all. And this slice doom and Heaven is already much more than any of us deserves.
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