From: davem@uvmark.uucp (Dave Meeks)
Subject: Meeks Review #3 - Popol Vuh "For You And Me"
Date: Wed, 30 Sep 92 15:50:02 GMT
Organization: VMark Software, Inc.


Hello again NetWorld,

Time again for the 3rd installment of "Meeks Review".  This week, I am 
reviewing an album by Popol Vuh, entitled "For You And Me".  

Popol Vuh is a German band, and has been described as "One of the very
best German bands, that exemplified "cosmic music" in its myriad of
forms.  ...  Very peaceful and mesmerizing" .  Not a bad description
actually.  

This album was made in 1991, so is actually very recent.  The band consists
of:
	Florian Fricke:  	Piano
	Renate Knaup-Aschauer: 	Vocal (mainly chant style, no real lyrics)
	Daniel Fichelscher:	Guitar

with  	Guido Hieronymus 	Keyboards/Guitar
	Anne-Marie O'Farell	Irish Harp

The album is supposedly the soundtrack of some album (from what I have heard)
and is kind of a spiritual/world music/progressive mix.  It is very, very
good...  Let's look at what we have...

The CD clocks in at about 42:44, and contains 11 songs.  Here they are
with brief descriptions:

1. For You And Me (5:20) - best described by the band itself as "setting a
	musical motif from the high Himalayan mountains against the spirit
	of african music".  Consists largely of drums/percussion and guitar
	with chanting lyrics.  Reminds me a lot of some of Peter Gabriels
	work at times (his "world music/african" styles).  
2. Wind of the Stars in Their Eyes (3:10) - the band describes this song as
	"an antique Irish them with modern western electronic".   It starts
	out with the Irish harp, guitar, and percussion/bells, and keyboards.
	It starts out fairly upbeat, then goes into a softer, new age sound.
	It then goes back into the upbeat section.  Lots of texture and levels
	in the song that I really like.
3. Little Bazaari (7:45) - again, from the band, this song is considered
	"...ancestral Popol Vuh music, arranged with the typical 
	string-players' music peculiar to the oriental coffee houses, is a
	dedication to the pain of the innocent."  We now have the vocals 
	back again.  Simple bass/cymbal with string arrangement, keyboards in
	the background, and pleasing vocals.  Can't tell if she is really
	saying anything, or just voicin' it... We do get some flute in this
	song as well (I like the flute).  Fairly simple melody.. I like the
	song, but is a little repetitive, and with it's lenghth...
4. Compassion (5:00) - Vocals start out a song that almost has a Russian
	sound to it in it's patterns.  Mainly vocals and strings to start,
	I feel like doing a folding my arms and doing a kick dance.  About
	1/3 of the way through, the pattern changes and we get more guitar,
	flute, and cymbals that picks up in speed.
5. When Love is calling You (4:15) - We get cymbals and guitar to start this
	one (with keys in the back).  Has more of a rock beat to it, with a
	slight Irish/Celtic feel to the guitars (very slight).  This song
	actually has real lyrics to it, in English.  Strange, but it almost
	sounds like Sinead O'Conner (keeping with the Celtic feel).   Nice
	song, but not as different/unique as the others...
6. In Your Eyes (0:55) - No, not Peter Gabriel, but a short interlude song to
	lead into the final 4 part songs. Actually very nice, with percussion
	and keyboards (mainly).
7. OM Mani Padme Hum 1 (1:10) - Beginning of the 4 part cyclus, that according
	to the band "...appeals to the tiny precious in us: the conscience:
	ours (innermost), set against the world."  Ok, a little deep for most,
	but the song consists of flute and something else (???).  Very much
	a meditation song :-)
8. OM Mani Padme Hum 2 (2:47) -  Very, very different from the first.  We get
	actually lyrics in this one again, with dual voices and the rest of
	the band.  (Lyrics consist of the title repeated over/over, with the
	music).   Very upbeat, active song... As opposed to...
9. OM Mani Padme Hum 3 (4:33) -  Mellow piano starts this song, and remains 
	alone for about half the song.  Then, acoustic guitar (again, very
	mellow) and vocals start.  The vocals are the same as the previous
	song, but very mellow and sad sounding..
10. OM Mani Padme Hum 4 (5:18) -  The final piece to this cyclus, starts out
	with piano again, in the style of the previous (mellow), but then
	we get some keyboards and strings kicking in.  Later, the vocals 
	start up again, very moody/mystical sounding this time.  
11. For You (2:05) - well, we finish the album up with this song...
	sort of a reprise of the first song.  Nice way to end the album..


Overall, the band seems to go through 2 stages in this album.  With the
first 4 songs, they have a very "world music"/progressive feel, with some
very cool rhythm/vocal playing on each other.  The music is very textured
and many levels deep in parts.  It is not the type of music for everyone
however, as you really need to want something away from the norm.  This
group is definitely not "rock" in almost any definition.  They have some
folk/new-age aspects to them as well.  Anyway, the second stage is mainly
the "OM Main Padme Hum" cyclus, which is very new-age sounding.  From 
what I understand, Popol Vuh is usually classified with the NewAge 
selections, and I can understand why.  I personally highly recommend this
album, but with the warning that it is not like your standard fare.  It 
takes a more adventureous ear to get into it.  Fans of something with a
little ethnic feel will also like this.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed it, hope it helps if you ever plan on getting this
or other Popol Vuh albums.  If you have this, I am sure you enjoyed it...

Until next time, same Bat Time, same Bat Channel...

Dave Meeks...
-- 
David T. Meeks                    ||" We are jigsaw pieces, aligned on the 
VMark Software, Inc.              ||  perimeter edge, 
uvmark!davem@merk.com             ||  interlocked through a missing piece"
davem%uvmark@merk.com             ||" ...This world is totally Fugazi"
Newsgroups: alt.music.progressive