Ceremony To The Sunset

''Ceremony to the Sunset'' is the debut studio album by Yawning Sons, a collaborative musical project formed by members of American band Yawning Man and British band Sons of Alpha Centauri. It was released on June 15, 2009, by Lexicon Devil Records, with a deluxe vinyl edition released by Alone Records on October 25, 2014.

Production

In 2008, Gary Arce of Yawning Man was invited to the United Kingdom by the band Sons of Alpha Centauri to produce new tracks, but upon arrival, the idea of simply producing the record was scrapped. Within one week, Arce and Sons of Alpha Centauri had written and recorded an entire album's worth of material together, working at Ranscombe Studios in Rochester, Kent with Jim Riley as their producer.

Critical reception

{{Music ratings
, rev2 = Sputnikmusic
, rev2Score = 4.2/5{{cite web, url=http://www.sputnikmusic.com/bands/Yawning-Sons/19455/ , title=Yawning Sons , publisher=Sputnikmusic , accessdate=23 September 2016
, rev3 = Heathen Harvest
, rev3Score = {{Rating, 4, 5{{cite web, url=http://heathenharvest.org/2012/02/17/yawning-sons-ceremony-to-the-sunset/ , title=Yawning Sons – Ceremony to the Sunset , date=17 February 2012 , publisher= Heathen Harvest , accessdate=23 September 2016 , archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120327200401/http://heathenharvest.org/2012/02/17/yawning-sons-ceremony-to-the-sunset/ , archivedate=27 March 2012 , url-status=dead
, rev4 = Dosenmusik
, rev4Score = 11/15{{cite web, url=http://www.dosenmusik.de/infos/cdreviews.php?review=3165 , title=Yawning Sons – Ceremony to the Sunset , publisher=Dosenmusik , accessdate=2 April 2017
, rev5 = ''Musik an sich''
, rev5Score = 17/20{{cite web, url=http://www.musikansich.de/review.php?id=7043 , title=Yawning Sons – Ceremony to the Sunset , author=Rainer Janaschke , work=Musik an sich , accessdate=2 April 2017 , archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150913170906/http://www.musikansich.de/review.php?id=7043 , archivedate=13 September 2015
, rev6 = ''Sludge Worm''
, rev6Score = 9/10{{cite web, url=http://www.sludgeworm.de/2015/06/15/yawning-sons-ceremony-to-the-sunset/ , title=Yawning Sons – Ceremony To The Sunset , date=15 June 2015 , work=Sludge Worm , accessdate=2 April 2017 , archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150913193442/http://www.sludgeworm.de/2015/06/15/yawning-sons-ceremony-to-the-sunset/ , archivedate=13 September 2015
, rev7 = Subba Cultcha
, rev7Score = {{Rating, 4, 5

The album received generally positive reviews from music critics. It was placed eighth on both ''The Obelisk'' and ''The Aquarian Weeklys Top 10 albums of 2009, while the Roadburn Festival named it Album of the Day on their website on 17 December 2009. ''Lords of Metal'' commented that the album's music is "very suitable to enjoy on a warm summer evening, in a lazy chair with the legs up, watching a spectacular sunset."

Sputnikmusic remarked that the album's sound "is like no other experienced before and like nothing that will be experienced again." ''I-94 Bar'' said that its music "works on many levels, like Tom Verlaine's vocal-less efforts, and playing it in the background while performing everyday tasks (like open heart surgery or splitting the atom) is possible without nodding off." Sander van den Driesche of ''Echoes and Dust'' said that the album should be seen as "a classic album, not perhaps as a desert rock album per se, but as an album mixing ambient elements with desert rock, psych and space rock."

Commenting on the album's musical style, Sam O. of ''Ninehertz'' said that the album "blends aspects of desert-psychedelia with post rock influences from good, old, miserable England," though adding that he "hoped that this album wouldn't run a nautical theme throughout as I guess that watery themed songs would kill all the hopes of desert imagery." Heathen Harvest noted that "though this album is instrumental, it seems to have a lot to say without the need for words, and if there is one thing that is impressive about this new project, it is that." ''The Sleeping Shaman'' also had praise for the album, calling it "a triumphant partnership where laid back Californian cool collided with the British masters of cerebral ambient riffing."

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Yawning Sons and produced by Jim Riley.
{{Track listing
, title1 = Ghostship/Deadwater
, length1 = 8:32

, title2 = Tomahawk Watercress
, length2 = 6:57

, title3 = Wetlands
, length3 = 6:40

, title4 = Whales in Tar
, length4 = 2:48

, title5 = Meadows
, length5 = 8:09

, title6 = Garden Sessions III
, length6 = 5:21

, title7 = Japanese Garden
, length7 = 4:47

, total_length = 43:14

{{Track listing
, headline = Deluxe vinyl edition bonus track
, title8 = Shores of Desolation
, length8 = 4:22

;Notes
* "Ghostship/Deadwater" contains additional vocals by Rich File.
* "Meadows" contains uncredited vocals by Mathias Schnebert.
* "Garden Sessions III" contains additional vocals and guitars by Scott Reeder.

Personnel

Credits adapted from Allmusic.{{cite web, url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/ceremony-to-the-sunset-mw0000819481/credits , title=Ceremony to the Sunset - Yawning Sons - Credits , publisher= Allmusic , accessdate=2 October 2016
{{div col, colwidth=30em
* Rory Alderson – Audio engineer
* Gary Arce – Primary artist, electric guitar, lapsteel guitar, liner notes
* Ian Bailey – Audio engineer
* Blake – Textures
* Rich File – Vocal engineer
* Wendy Rae Fowler – Primary artist
* Nick Hannon – Primary artist, bass guitar
* Marlon King – Primary artist, bongo drum, guitar, electronic organ
* Wes King – Photography
* Mario Lalli – Primary artist
* Scott Reeder – Primary artist, guitar engineer, vocal engineer
* Jim Riley – Record producer, audio mastering, audio mixing
* Stevie B – Primary artist, drums
{{div col end

References

{{reflist

{{Authority control

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ceremony to the Sunset
2009 debut albums
Yawning Sons albums
Collaborative albums