Perfume Tree
Country of origin:
Canada
Type of music generally:
Ethereal and ambient pre-ectronica alternative pop
Status:
Final studio release, feeler (1998). Band has morphed into Veloce.
See also:
Wikipedia's entry on Perfume Tree
Comparisons:
A heavier-on-the-guitar Cocteau Twins
Covers/own material:
Own
General comments:
The are a *great* crunchy, dreamy, swirly ethereal band. They're obscure and deserve to be far better known, even to ectophiles. (Neile)good stuff here, folks: dub gothic? tribal rock? i dunno how to describe it exactly, but if you like highly rhythmic, shadowy, dark music, this is for you. (woj@smoe.org)
Comments about live performance:
Heard them live for the first time a few weeks ago and they're great live, too (but they need a real drumset). (1995, Neile)
Recommended first album:
Hard call. Probably Roots, the compilation, would be a good place to start. I personally would recommend a lifetime away, dust, or the suns running out. (Neile)
Recordings:
- dust (1992)
- remote ep (1993)
- the suns running out (1994)
- fathom the sky ep (1995)
- a lifetime away (1995)
- into topological space (1996—wdm—0042-2)
- tide's out ep (1997)
- feeler (1998)
- Felt (Feeler remixes, 2000)
- Roots (compilation, 2000)
dust
Release info:
1992—Zulu Records, 1869 W 4th Ave., Vancouver, BC Canada V6J 1M4—Zulu 6-2
Availability:
Unknown, probably only available used
Ecto priority:
Highly recommended for fans of ethereal alternative pop
Group members:
Adam—bass, sampler
Jane—vocals, guitar, tapes
Peter—guitar, programming
Jim—bass, vocals, magnus, program
Produced by:
Perfume Tree and Pat Carroll
Comments:
A dreamy introduction to their music. Beautiful, swirling, atmospheric, yet edgy. (Neile)The recording is kind of muted, but this is still one of my favorite of their discs. (jmgurley@drizzle.com)
remote ep
Release info:
1993—Zulu Records, 1869 W 4th Ave., Vancouver, BC Canada V6J 1M4—Zulu 5-2
Availability:
Out of print
Ecto priority:
Highly recommended for fans of ethereal alternative pop
Produced by:
Perfume Tree
Comments:
Believe it or not, I usually am not a big fan of remixes, but all in all this is my favourite release from Perfume Tree. Why? Because the remixes here are so beautiful. (Neile)
the suns running out
Release info:
1994—Zulu Records, 1869 W 4th Ave., Vancouver, BC Canada V6J 1M4—Zulu 11-2
Availability:
Unknown, probably only available used
Ecto priority:
Highly recommended for fans of ethereal alternative pop
Group members:
Adam, Pete, Jane—bass, beats, guitars, mini moog, ace tone, loops, voice, tapes, harmonica, found objects
Guest artists:
Justin Leigh—drum loop on 1 track
Produced by:
Perfume Tree
Comments:
If Cocteau Twins were more crunchy and swirly and less in the head and a little more northwest coast, they'd be Perfume Tree. (Neile)
fathom the sky ep
Release info:
1995—Zulu Records, 1869 W 4th Ave., Vancouver, BC Canada V6J 1M4—Zulu 6-2
Availability:
Unknown, probably only available used
Ecto priority:
Highly recommended for fans of ethereal alternative pop
Group members:
Perfume Tree
Guest artists:
Pat Carroll—arp synth on 1 track
Calncy Dennegy—main drum loop on 1 track
Produced by:
Perfume Tree
Comments:
Another delightful Perfume Tree release. (Neile)
a lifetime away
Release info:
1995—Zulu Records, 1869 W 4th Ave., Vancouver, BC Canada V6J 1M4—Zulu 16-2; 1996—World Domination Records, U.S.—WD 0034-2
Availability:
Unknown, probably only available used
Ecto priority:
Highly recommended for fans of ethereal alternative pop
Group members:
Jane—voice, guitar
Pete—beats, keyboards, guitar
Mel—bass
Bruce—live mix, management
Guest artists:
Pat Carroll-synthesizer on 1 track
Produced by:
Perfume Tree
Comments:
Dreamy, a little in the Cocteau Twins vein but also heavy on the guitar, Perfume Tree is always a delight. I love the great vocals, even if I can't make out the words. (Neile)Very ambient, techno, ethereal female vocals, but a little monotonous. (jjhanson@att.net)
tide's out ep
Release info:
1997—World Domination Music Group, PO Box 8097, Universal City Station, N. Hollywood, CA 91618-8097, U.S.A.—WDM 10057-2
Availability:
Unknown, probably only available used
Ecto priority:
Highly recommended for fans of ethereal alternative pop
Group members:
Bruce, Jane, Pete
Guest artists:
Ruth Jones—djembe on 1 track
Produced by:
P. Lutwyche and J. Tilley
Comments:
tide's out is vintage perfume tree—dreamy, hypnotic, rhythmic—but there seems to be a bit more of a hip-hop feeling to this one than the others. not unlike a darker (big hat). (woj@smoe.org)More of Perfume Tree's noisy, ethereal rock. There are great moments in this, but I found it a little less consistently interesting than some of their previous recordings, especially A Lifetime Away. Still, if you like their sound, you will like this. (Neile)
feeler
Release info:
1998—World Domination Music Group—WDM 10074-2
Availability:
Unknown, probably only available used
Ecto priority:
Recommended for fans of ethereal alternative pop
Comments:
Luscious, yummy, hypnotic! (afries@zip.com.au)Still dreamy, trancey, crunchy, but I've enjoyed previous albums way more than this one, which doesn't have as much affect on me as the earlier work. I think maybe it's just the accumulation of too many similar albums from them for me, and I've liked their songwriting better on previous albums. I keep forgetting this one even exists. (Neile)
Roots
Release info:
2000—self-release—CDR
Availability:
Through The Perfume Tree site only
Ecto priority:
Recommended for fans of ethereal alternative pop
Comments:
A compilation of their favourites of their songs.
