In Gowan Ring - Exists and Entrances Volume 3 Vernal Equinox 2003
(self-released)
From the flute-driven instrumental opener, "Vernal Rising," which begins like an old medieval track by Gryphon and segues into a Camper van Beethoven-styled ethnic-stringed workout (is that a mandolin? a balalaika?), to the Moondog-eared madrigal "Green Grows the Lilly" (recorded live on KALX in Berkeley, CA, which may account for its air of awkward incompleteness), and on through the poorly recorded, near-bootleg quality of the way-too-long and quite uninteresting "Play for Me Fiddler!" (recorded at Teatro Iberico in Lisbon, Portugal), this third collection of Exists and Entrance, a self-releasd series
centered around "that space when one is within a mantle of garlands," commonly referred to as In Gowan Ring, may be an indication that the well is starting to run dry. Predominantly the work of a single (and singular) individual known as B'eirth ("Bee" for short), In Gowan Ring, also a revolving collective of friends that frequently includes Lincoln Lysager, Michael Moynihan, (ex-Amber Asylum violinist) Annabel Lee, Jesse Winters and/or Anthony Snow.
The brilliant, seven minute "A Lock that Ain't Worth Pickin'," a traditional-sounding (yet B'eirth-penned) back-porch folk tune complete with marvelous harmonica accompaniment somewhat salvages this volume of Exists and Entrances. But few will pay much attention to the woofer-shattering percussive interlude "Berzerka Murzurka I" or to its room-clearing partner, "Light Rays and Smoke Shapes," a collection of instrument tunings and throat-clearing warblings recorded in Seattle with Brian Castillo. Portland, Oregon's Mizpah Chapel was the setting for "I Have a Friend," another live recording for completists only.
I do like B'eirth's use of water, a key ingredient in IGR's earthy c.v., in the field recording "Urn and Water." The bubbling brew also figures prominently in "Sea Ritual," complementing the rattling chains and clanging bells in this ominous, dirgy tale of death bells and our protagonist's attempts to wash blood from his hands. Perfect for that Halloween compilation tape, this segment was recorded live at KNMU in Albuquerque (presumably the University of New Mexico). Despite B'eirth's insistence that the suspicious water-bong sounds in fact come from a homemade instrument, the vibe is just as effective. I'd like
to hear more material from this gig. Finally, the cover of "The Black One," a theme from Ingmar Bergman's The Seventh Seal, returns us full circle to the medieval playfulness of the disk's opening tracks. Recorded live at the Samhain festival in Port Townsend on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state, it is a rare example of B'eirth's collaborations with Witch-Hunt, the project led by Michael Moynihan who, among other accomplishments, is the author of the definitive study of the Nordic Death Metal scene, Lords of Chaos. Oh, and I think he's on President Bush's "do not call" list, too!
Overall, this is a good example of the live In Gowan Ring sound and vibe, but a better selection of material would have made it a more worthy successor to the first two volumes of this marvelous series (B'eirth tells me a fourth volume is nearing completion). As it stands, I can only recommend this one to completists.
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