Current 93 - Thunder Perfect Mind (Reissue)
(World Serpent)
Thunder Perfect Mind was the first Current 93 release I heard. Having spent many a minute pondering the vast selection of CDs in the racks, I finally elected to purchase the one which had the mildest cover art. Coupled with information easily gleaned from the more macabre regions of the internet, the grotesque cartoons, paintings and photographs adorning other C93 releases had always resulted in my pulling away in relief from what I feared was the work of an infested wing of the occult. The outward face of Thunder Perfect Mind, however, was a simple white background in the midst of which lay a small painting of the head of a slightly surprised feline.
Thunder Perfect Mind provided me with a rite of passage, a key into the wonderfully inspirational, thoughtful and ultimately humane world of England's "esoteric underground", where issues that the majority of the (pop) world are fearful to consider, even momentarily, are expressively aired for the listener's reflection. As David Tibet states in the sleeve notes to the Calling for Vanished Faces compilation (some of the tracks of which are featured on disc 2 of this release), his interests and concerns as developed throughout the C93 canon have remained constant, "the apocalypse in the great and the small", even if the musical accompaniment has mellowed considerably since initial C93 rumblings.
It may help to place Thunder Perfect Mind in context. It marked a significant turning point in musical direction, representing the studio debut of guitarist / composer Michael Cashmore. Tibet has never hidden his delight at having found Cashmore, someone who clearly understood how to fit his lyrics to music; how to promote the inherent lyricism through musical accompaniment. Previous C93 recordings, which had nobly attempted to marry the spirit and style of British avant-folk music with Tibet's passionate poetic visions, had resulted in the slightly awkward (but still to be treasured) Earth Covers Earth, Horse and Swastikas for Noddy. In comparison to the assured performances captured on each track on Thunder Perfect Mind, these previous releases appear as mannequins in ill-fitting attire. On the majority of Thunder Perfect Mind tracks ("A Lament for My Suzanne", "A Sadness Song", "Riverdeadbank", for example) acoustic guitar, harp and/or violin provide simply-phrased minor key repetitions of folk-style tunes to support and shoulder the burden of the meandering vocals, gently guiding each track down its own personal river to the sea.
Thunder Perfect Mind and all subsequent C93 releases are essentially suites of skilfully woven image-laden poetry. Suites, since to isolate any one track from its whole is to render it uncomfortable and susceptible, like the newborn kitten removed from her mother and brethren. Poetry, since like the most effective written art, Tibet's words and themes are simple and constant, a personal vision of the apocalypse depicted with care, albeit in a vocal style which is often purely terrifying. You can pick any couplet at random from the lyrics booklet accompanying this reissue and be certain to find something intriguing - from "In the Heart of the Wood and What I Found There", for example:
"Christ appears as the rubble that holds the feet to the bones of the Earth".
There are two standout tracks on the first CD, which is the original release in its entirety, remastered.
"All the Stars Are Dead Now" is a 9-minute depiction of "WmB's planh" as revealed to the narrator in a dream. The gentle musical accompaniment to the main lyric is further layered with the constant background hum of warped vocals, sniggering and fluttering around the song like a series of black-winged butterflies pecking at the ears and eyes.
"Hitler as Kalki (SDM)" is awesome. The first two minutes feature an introductory Spanish guitar theme, as if at any point a dance-beat could be introduced and there would be Enrique (or papa Julio) singing a tribute to his latest heroic amorous exploits. However, we are slowly enticed down a contrary path to endure, and wonder at, 14 extra minutes of sonic and lyrical terror culminating in an electric maelstrom (assisted by the wondrous Nick 'Bevis Frond' Saloman) not seen elsewhere on the album. As a depiction of the evil of war, it is horrifyingly effective.
The reissue is accompanied by a bonus disc featuring Thunder Perfect Mind outtakes (all available elsewhere bar the short, a capella "Red House"). The final 5 tracks are versions of Thunder Perfect Mind tunes from the wonderful (and now deleted) live "As the World Disappears" CD. Just to point out that the balance of that release not featured on this reissue is certainly worth hearing (including excellent stripped bare versions of "Horsey", "Hooves" and "Terra Tegit Terram (Earth Covers Earth)", for example).
A lot can be, and often is, made of the philosophical and artistic influences, which prey upon Tibet's work. While most reviews delve into these in detail, and their significance is not to be underestimated, I am not sure they assist greatly and have deliberately refrained from mentioning them here. A few minutes further web research will reap benefits, if you are interested. Suffice it to say that Tibet's principal achievement is to have carved out a personal and spacious vehicle for his outstanding and evocative poetry, which can now sit proudly beside those he makes no secret of admiring.
Note: The only reason Thunder Perfect Mind does not get a 12/12 rating, is because C93 actually managed to improve upon it with later releases, Of Ruine or of Some Blazing Starre and All the Pretty Little Horses, both of which adopt the Thunder Perfect Mind formula and stretch it to even more magnificent results.
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