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Another
chapter from the diary of an exiled Englishman living out his middle-years
in the Czech Republic. Once again Shoenfelt puts together a delicate
parcel of music laced with stories of dignity and decay. As his
recent book, Junkie Love, traced out a life in Camden Town in the
late-'80's so Ecstatic takes the listener on a journey down the
gauzy and grubby thoroughfares of Prague. And it's a glorious transverse
of those dark-rainy Eastern-European streets.
Shoenfelt's
last album, Dead Flowers For Alice, was his strongest set yet.
Ecstatic capitalises on that release. Violinist and viola player
Pavel Cingl shines throughout this album's scenarios while Shoenfelt's
lyrics reflect the highs and the lows of blemished dignity. Over
the past two decades Shoenfelt has acquired a glorious style of
his own. This Czech import album allows the world to share some
of his more recent epistles. And, as should be, the last track
is the best.
Nikki
Sudden-Berlin-November 19 2002
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