Roseland
Country of origin:
U.S.; Azam Ali was born in Iran and raised in India
Type of music generally:
Ambient, ethereal rock
Status:
Debut release, Roseland (2007)
See also:
Wikipedia's entry for Roseland
Comparisons:
Siouxsie, Dead Can Dance
Covers/own material:
Own and co-written
General comments:
Azam Ali in a band with film composer Tyler Bates. It's more of a darkwave/rock sound (think late period Siouxsie or early Dead Can Dance). For lovers of Liz Fraser and Lisa Gerrard. (ethereal_lad@livejournal.com)
Recommended first album:
Roseland is their debut
Recordings:
Roseland (2007)
Roseland
Release info:
2007—Tyzami Records—8 37101 37194 0
Availability:
Wide
Ecto priority:
Highly recommended
Group members:
Azam Ali—voice, hammered dulcimer
Tyler Bates—electric, acoustic, and bass guitars; keyboards; programming; arrangements
Guest artists:
Greg Ellis (Vas)—drum kit (1, 5, 7, 10); percussion (5, 7, 10)
Joey Waronker—drum kit (1, 2)
Justin Meldal-Johnsen—bass (3, 6)
Chris Chaney—bass (5, 7)
Butch Norton—drum kit (3); percussion (4, 6)
Rick Baptist—trumpet (1, 3 , 4)
Alex Iles—trombone (1, 3 , 4)
Dan Rothchild—bass (1, 2)
Produced by:
Tyler Bates
Comments:
Azam Ali's rock-oriented project with Tyler Bates (Roseland) has just released their debut album. Atmospheric, guitar-based darkwave rock over which Ali's beautiful voice soars, this reminds me of the prettier side of Siouxsie's oeuvre. The Indian/Iranian influences are mostly gone. The lyrics are gothy and the production updates the dark swirly 80s sound.... (ethereal_lad@livejournal.com)I do notice the shift away from the more Persian/Indian in the Roseland project, but it still has the darkness and ambient techno undertones.
Favorite tracks: "Mothwings" (I suspect because I heard it first on MySpace), "Hollow Feel," Forty One Ways," and "Bitter Days," (another heard first on MySpace). They kind of vary from lighter instrumentals through more traditional percussion to hand percussion and electronica to the more eastern feel. And, of course, "Reapers Crown" has some really fascinating instrumentation. (candre@enteract.com)Azam Ali's gorgeous vocals over dark, ambient rock. I've never heard Sarah McLachlan comparisons in Azam's work before, but for some reason I'm reminded of Sarah's Touch and Solace-era remix singles when I listen to the Roseland cd. Not at all a bad thing. (JoAnn Whetsell)
Thanks to JoAnn Whetsell for work on this entry.
