SIRENS OF THE APOCALYPSE (Contraphonic)

Sirens Of The Apocalypse comprises twelve songs that emanated from Martin Bisi's legendary recording lair in Brooklyn over 6 years - from '01 to '07. On his fourth full-length solo rendering since '89, he expands 4 piece rock into a mutant, experimental pop and rock.
The record is a personal document of Martin Bisi's life, times and on-going creative process: backup vocals whispered into 8 track recorders in the corners of airport terminals; guitar overdubs in crowded college youth hostels; lyrics written during breaks of other artists' sessions; and a spoken story of a crazy late-night encounter in a Brooklyn bar.

The production, or anti-production, is reminiscent of Bisi's chaotic but beautiful early Sonic Youth recordings.
"Goth Chick '98", which also has a video embedded in the CD, has a dark cabaret feel, and comments on the cabaret/circus punk scene of The Dresden Dolls, Barbez and Beat Circus, that Bisi has shared an orbit with since the late 90's.
"Buddhist Girl" has a massive "Don't Fear The Reaper" style shoegaze, Krishna cult feeling, with electric sitar, tablas, djembes and bells.
Other songs veer between moody ("Felicity Ann McGuire"), psychedelic ("Buddhist Girl", "Mary Maudlin"), poppy ("Parsippany, NJ"), "indie-rock" (title track "Sirens Of The Apocalypse") and harder rock ("Rock Mona Lisa", "My American Way").

Multiple female characters, dwelling in our epic times, inspired the album's artwork and title, Sirens Of The Apocalypse. Lyrically, the songs are vignettes of love, obsession and the jungle of gender interactions.
"Mary Maudlin" is about a short lived crush at a mall, and is a word play on Mary Magdalene, a muse both saintly and sluttishly profane.
"Buddhist Girl" was inspired by the high-maintenance women at a pricey yoga center.
"Felicity Ann McGuire", written during the recording of the first Dresden Dolls record, is about a girl living in a Cocteau/Sherwood Forest-like dream, and was inspired by the freakish, vine covered building in Boston that was the Dolls' home base.

THE PLAYERS

Bisi tapped Rebecca Moore (artist on John Zorn's Tzadik label, and contributor/collaborator with Richard Foreman and Jeff Buckley) to play piano and toy piano on the album's only guitar-free song, "Goth Chick '98".
Drawing from his NY scene associations, Bisi forged a rhythm section who could master the complex hard rock that underpins much of the material. Bassist Christian Bongers played in Gandhi (with Page Hamilton of Helmet), Botanica, Loudspeaker and with Scottish songstress Angela McCluskey. Drummer Billy Atwell (he also plays lap steel and electric sitar) was in the arty hard rock band Shirley Temple Of Doom, and recently played in theatrical rock adaptations of Hair and Mid-Summer Night's Dream.
DJ Butterface, turntablist and DJ-about-town, does the keys, turntable and generally provides an early hip-hop/remix sensibility to the music.
John Keith, the current drummer for live appearances, drums on the opening/title track.
Bisi sings, speaks, plays all the guitars and adds FX.

FULL CREDITS

Martin Bisi
drums - Billy Atwell
bass - Christian Bongers
keyboards, backing vocals - DJ Butterface
programming on Rock Musician (hidden 12th track) - DJ Butterface
drums on trk 1 "Sirens Of The Apocalypse" - John Dylan Keith
piano on "Goth Chick '98" - Rebecca Moore
choir on track 1 "Sirens Of The Apocalypse" - Ajda the Turkish Queen, Kerry Kennedy, Jenni Knight, Briney Dylon
booklet photography - Tasja Keetman
booklet model - Lynnea Scalora aka. Ego Sensation
video directed by Jim Spring

TRACK LIST

1. Sirens Of The Apocalypse
2. Mary Maudlin
3. Goth Chick '98
4. La Vie S'enfuie
5. Felicity Ann McGuire
6. A Story (True) In Brooklyn
7. Rock Mona Lisa
8. Buddhist Girl
9. Parsippany, NJ
10. The Silver Balloon
11. Nadine
12. My American Way
13. [hidden - not listed on back of CD] Rock Musician
-and there's a video file on the CD (enhanced) for Goth Chick '98

contact
Martin Bisi

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