''The Lone Descent'' is the fifth studio album by the Danish band
Of the Wand & the Moon, released on 10 October 2011 through Heiðrunar Myrkrunar.
Reception
''
Berlingske
''Berlingske'', previously known as ''Berlingske Tidende'' (, ''Berling's Times''), is a Danish national daily newspaper based in Copenhagen. It is considered a newspaper of record for Denmark. First published on 3 January 1749,
''Berlingske'' ...
''s Jeppe Krogsgaard Christensen, ''
Politiken
''Politiken'' is a leading Danish daily broadsheet newspaper, published by JP/Politikens Hus in Copenhagen, Denmark. It was founded in 1884 and played a role in the formation of the Danish Social Liberal Party. Since 1970 it has been independe ...
''s Simon Lund and ''
Gaffa
''Gaffa'' (stylized as ''GAFFA'') is a free Nordic music magazine with local editions in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. ''Gaffa'' is Denmark's largest and oldest music magazine. It has been published since 1983 and has 320,000 print readers and ...
''s Finn P. Madsen all gave ''The Lone Descent'' a rating of five out of six.
Krogsgaard Christensen described it as Of the Wand & the Moon's "artistic culmination".
Lund wrote that the fundamental
neofolk
Neofolk, also known as apocalyptic folk, is a form of experimental music blending elements of folk and industrial music, which emerged in punk rock circles in the 1980s. Neofolk may either be solely acoustic or combine acoustic folk instrumenta ...
concept has remained the same from the previous album, but "the texture has become many layers thicker";
Madsen wrote that the band has moved further away from previous models, such as
Current 93
Current 93 are an English experimental music group, working since the early 1980s in folk-based musical forms. The band was founded in 1982 by David Tibet, who has been Current 93's only constant member.
Background
Tibet has been the only const ...
and
Death in June
Death in June are a neofolk group led by English musician Douglas P. (Douglas Pearce). The band was originally formed in the United Kingdom in 1981 as a trio, but after the other members left in 1984 and 1985 to work on other projects, the gro ...
, and closer to
Lee Hazlewood
Barton Lee Hazlewood (July 9, 1929 – August 4, 2007) was an American country and pop singer, songwriter, and record producer, most widely known for his work with guitarist Duane Eddy during the late 1950s and singer Nancy Sinatra in the 1960s ...
and
Phil Spector
Harvey Phillip Spector (born Harvey Philip Spector; December 26, 1939January 16, 2021) was an American record producer and songwriter, best known for his innovative recording practices and entrepreneurship in the 1960s, followed decades later by ...
's "
Wall of Sound
The Wall of Sound (also called the Spector Sound) is a music production formula developed by American record producer Phil Spector at Gold Star Studios, in the 1960s, with assistance from engineer Larry Levine and the conglomerate of session m ...
".
Krogsgaard Christensen highlighted the track "Tear It Apart" and wrote that the combination of melancholy, beautiful melodies and musical ambition on every track is "brilliant".
Lund wrote that the "captivating melodies" should make it possible for the album to attract some international attention,
and Madsen called it "absolutely one of the best Danish releases of the year".
Track listing
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lone Descent
2011 albums
Of the Wand & the Moon albums