Damon Albarn's new album Dr Dee (out May 8 via Parlophone records) begins and ends with the sounds of birdsong and a gentle woodland stream. It's a not-so-subtle hint that we're worlds away from the boisterously gloomy London cityscapes of Albarn's usual fare. Inspired by the life and times of 16th century alchemist John Dee (a close advisor to Queen Elizabeth I), Albarn's "English Opera" is a gloriously realized passion project deeply rooted in the sounds and history of Elizabethan England. Recorded with the BBC Philharmonic orchestra and a menagerie of period instruments, the soundtrack (curiously billed as a Damon Albarn's solo debut) can feel a bit impenetrable at times, but unravels itself in curious and unexpected ways with each track.
Opener "The Golden Dawn" sets the scene brilliantly with its somber, even eerie string arrangement, bold trumpet sounds and dusty cathedral pipe organs. "In the kingdom of the broken heart, a blackbird sings and the sun, it laughs," Albarn croons over the stark electric guitars of "Apple Carts", surrounded by an intimate flourish of medieval lutes and pan flutes. Its funereal harmonium outro segues into the energetic wail of "Oh Spirit Animate Us" and baroque sweep of "The Moon Exalted", where Albarn's voice floats heavenward on a bed of luscious harpsichord arpeggios. Things get a little spooky on the delightfully menacing "A Man Of England", while elsewhere, "Coronation" and "Tree Of Life" boast the stirring chants of a full-on chorale.
It's not all stuffy renaissance fair muzak, though—on "The Marvelous Dream", jubilant layers of vocal harmonies swirl around Damon Albarn's voice before delving back into a beautifully dreary acoustic guitar riff. "Preparation" even boasts a sputtering, rhythmic percussion break by frequent Albarn collaborator Tony Allen, segueing into the strange, ambient throb of "9 Point Star", where Damon whispers an unsettling chant over a distorted electric guitar drone. More often than not, though, Dr Dee finds the Britpop icon singing in oblique stanzas over pastoral acoustic guitars and gently sweeping cellos. It's certainly a bold creative departure from one of the few pop artists willing and able to make them, but without the stage production's visual cues, Dr Dee the album can't help but feel like a bit of a side-stepping curiosity... albeit a magnificently arranged and excuted one.
SumOlogy: Like most theater productions, Damon Albarn's evocative foray into Elizabethan English folk music works better on the stage than it does on the iPod.
Grade: A-
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Follow Brett Warner on Twitter: @Erasurehead
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