This is the third volume in the series of live solo albums that Bauhaus legend Peter Murphy has been releasing, I have already reviewed volume 4. In 2000 Peter's touring band was Peter DiStefano, Eric Avery, Doug DeAngelis and Kevin Haskins, the album was Mastered by Tim Turan at Turan Audio.
This show opens with Peter Murphy covering the Rocket From The Tombs/Pere Ubu classic Final Solution that has a dark twisted intro, while the band walk on and you can hear the sound of the marching boots reflected in the drum beat, pained keyboards and sawing guitars, before Peter seems to almost narrate the song, as much as sing it, getting to the dark heart of the matter at hand, the sonic stew they are brewing up is full of fraught pain, the edge needed to convey the desperation at the songs heart, this is may not be my favourite cover of this song, but its certainly up there for the tension they create.
The Scarlet Thing In You brightens the mood, with all the lust and love at the core slowly revealing itself, over the alternative rock backing, this is catchy with the vocals very upfront in the mix.
Wild Birds Flock To Me has crunchy guitars and a lean approach to the confession of how he deals with all the Wild Birds that Flock To Him.
Mirror To My Woman's Mind has a hunger to the sound and feelings being conjured up, hoping you don't disappear before his eyes, The guitar stands out in a slightly muddy sounding mix. Subway builds from the synths and samples with Peter acting as narrator and guide, to what might happen in the Subway, he claims it's a place where we can meet, although I can't see him eating in a Subway sandwich shop. Especially not with the sort of Turkish songstress calling back to him.
Disappearing has a proper goth floor filler drum beat, dark twisted intent, Peter making clear why she wanted to disappear due to lack of love. I'll Fall With Your Knife is almost a ballad, but with some cool inventive synth rhythms that float around Peters vocals.
Crystal Wrists slowly builds and works towards a peak or two, feel his disgust at what's gone on, and his dilemma in finding ways to move forwards.
The Sweetest Drop has Peter lusting for more of that sweet nectar while the breathy backing vocals sound like they want to be in bed with him, while he asks you to swallow him, probably while you dance like a tarantula. Hit Song is close to being a piano ballad, with Peter singing about what happens behind that green door, without once going all shaky on us, so go on take a stroll with Peter and let him take you to the stars once more.
Big Love Of A Tiny Fool is sing with an acoustic guitar like it's a Jacques Brel classic, feeling like when Bowie used to sing Amsterdam in the middle of a set. Marlene Deitrich's Favourite Poem continues in a similar vein and allows Peter to bring more emotion to this sad tale. I'd like to hear a complete unplugged performance like this. A Strange Kind Of Love also benefits from the acoustic approach with Peter looking deep into your eyes, finding all the meaning he can, over slow carefully strummed acoustic, trying to find the non-existent middle ground, this songs lyrics seem far more poignant in our current malaise than at the turn of the millennium.
Surrendered has sparse electronics creating a dark atmosphere for Peter to turn you inside out and bring the war to a close. The Turkish backing vocals intertwine to bring the dread at the songs heart to the fore, the pain and anguish. Roll Call has more of an Indian influence musically, with lots of shaken percussion and an insistent guitar figure, while Peter sings about doing this for over 20 years a proper old trooper.
The show and album closes with Huuvola an almost perfect set ending song, time to say a few farewells and go over the sparse synths and piano backing seeking some freedom, Peter has bared his soul once last time, before he introduces the band and says goodnight.
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