Brendan Perry and Lisa Gerrard are Dead Can Dance. Both of Anglo-Irish descent, the two met in Melbourne, Australia in 1980. A move to London in 1982 resulted in a 4AD record deal. They have since released five albums and an EP, available in America only as expensive imports. Dead Can Dance find inspiration in the music of the Middle Ages through the early Renaissance, from the 12th century through the 15th century. (Still, their name continues to cause them to be misconstrued as a "gothic" rock band by many potential fans who have never heard their music.) Their previous album, Aion, is the most representative of their passion for early music. They capture the texture and resonance of various medieval musics using both period and modern instruments, with stunning results. Perry and Gerard have carved out a truly unique musical niche well outside any conventional popular genre without forfeiting their massive appeal among fans of "alternative" rock music.
Dead Can Dance toured America for the first time in the fall of 1990. Every show, held at major music theatres across the country, was sold out. Reviewers raved and sand the praises of the ensemble's singular show. Among the converts was The New York Times' Jon Pareles, who wrote, "It's easy to be fond of a rock band whose idea of a dance number is a 14th century Italian saltarello." CD Review proclaimed, "As its name suggests, Dead Can Dance is about animating the inanimate, reviving ancient forms, transforming the inert into the organic. This is a mystic, highly mannered group."
A Passage in Time includes five tracks from Aion, six from The Serpent's Egg, two from Within the Realm of a Dying Sun, one from Spleen and Ideal, and two brand new songs recorded especially for this album. Perry's song selection is based, for the most part, on the set list from last year's tour. Gerrard's gorgeously chilling vocals echo forward as if from centuries ago, and remain the band's most distinctive element. Perry sings on several tracks as well, most notably "Ulysses" and the new track "Spirit", with the eerie effect of an ancient crooner. With two new songs and over an hour of music (pprevious albums clocked in at just over a half hour) A Passge in Time serves as a fine addition ro collections of the converted, and an amazing and affordable introduction for the uninitiated.
