Author: Erika Mercer
It is a dark murder mystery on a tropical island.
A tale of deceit and remorse, shadows and distorted identities, complete with rushed whispers, furtive glances and disguised appearances.
Enemies are passionate lovers and friends are cunning swindlers.
Revenge becomes obsession and love becomes addiction.
In the tropical heat, the truth gains a blinding, hazy quality until not even fingerprints can be trusted.
This is the world of "Amore Del Tropico," Black Heart Procession's most recent album, released in October of 2002.
Marking a radical departure from the band's previous, more abstract work, "Amore Del Tropico" explores the narrative, evocative form of a concept album.
Through lively, mysterious lyrics and a wide array of sounds ranging from tropical to groove, Black Heart Procession tells a gripping, captivating tale and creates an atmosphere that amplifies its intrigue.
The band first formed in 1997 in San Diego, Calif., when friends Pall Jenkins (vocals, guitar, synthesizers, etc.) and Tobias Nathaniel (organ, piano, guitars, etc.) took time off from their band, "Three Mile Pilot," to pursue the side project that became Black Heart Procession.
While Jenkins and Nathaniel compose the core of the band, they consistently employ as many as eight additional musicians and many various instruments at any one time for touring or recording.
The band, in fact, known for its eclectic instrumentation, often includes sounds from xylophones, cellos, organs and even found objects such as sheet metal and saws.
Black Heart Procession released its debut album, entitled "1," in 1998 under Headhunter Records, then switched to Touch & Go Records for its following album, "2," in 1999.
In 2000, it released the EP, "3 Songs," along with its third album, "Three."
For the 2002 recording of "Amore Del Tropico," its first album to possess a non-numerical title, Black Heart Procession built a new studio in San Diego, fittingly titled Stereo Disguise Recording Laboratories, and recruited many local friends to assist with the recording process.
The band's unique dismantling of traditional rock sounds has, since its first album, attracted Indie rock fans worldwide and provoked comparisons to bands such as Pink Floyd and Yo La Tengo.
This non-conformist approach to creating music is apparent on each of its albums, though it gains a much more lively quality on "Amore Del Tropico," which one critic described as "post-gothic or the Cure gone convincingly trip-hop."
"Amore Del Tropico" is less atmosphere- and more plot-based than the band's previous albums.
Following with the story, each song embodies a different emotion and describes a new chapter of the mysterious tale - from the song, "Tropics of Love," which opens with a grinding saw to "Broken World," which begins with a tropical drum beat.
The lyrics complement the mood of each song: on "Tropics of Love," Pall's voice scrapes menacingly along with the saw, "Was it here where we left our hearts? -- Was it here in the tropics of love - remorse," while in "Broken World" he sings forlornly, "Now we'll never meet again -- Not in this broken world."
True to the band's early work, though, the experimental and unconventional tendencies remain subtle and understated, not drastic or overdone.
A rewarding 55-minute listen full of surprising twists and unexpected turns, "Amore Del Tropico" is a welcomed, imaginative and artistic venture: moody, sultry, dangerous and completely thrilling.
A DVD package is planned for release within the next year, which, through making each song one chapter of the film, will tell the tropical murder mystery of "Amore Del Tropico."
In addition, Black Heart Procession will be on tour during 2003.
Blowin' Indie Wind Black Heart Procession A Whole Album for a Broken World
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