Legendary Pink Dots All The King's Men CD

The companion album to the more cohesive and slightly more aggressive All the King's Horses, All the King's Men is a much more murky puddle of psychedelia if you don't get the back-story. Early in 2001 the Dots' main man and lyricist Edward Ka-Spel started working on his "Unlikely Event" piece. The story was of a man on an airplane about to crash and his attempt to reach his wife's cell phone, only to get voicemail. The events of September 11th of that year had his sometimes too hardcore following declaring him a prophet once again. Regardless, All the King's Men is chilling without the synchronicity and a pensive, confused triumph. This is a more personal view of disaster with a "what can you do?" message. On "The Day Before It Happened" the main character is planning to get his teeth fixed next year, only listens to ten percent of what his spouse is saying, and doesn't get much rest. Sad, and it's not that Ka-Spel has thrown a "Live Everyday Like It's Your Last" bumper sticker on his car, but it's as close as he's come to making a comment that reaches everyone. The album's argument is that tragedy doesn't always come with foreshadowing and there are few ways to prevent it. All the King's Horses floats above and around disaster and everyday life with detachment. The story isn't linear, it jumps back and forth in time, and three instrumentals only hint at the concept with their combination of everyday piano and darker electronics. Ka-Spel's lispy and meandering vocals are way up in the mix, which makes him sound right next to you through headphones. You have to be predisposed to the Dots for the album to work at all, and even then it's more of a "mood" album than usual. This is glum stuff but Ka-Spel is inspired, and with a little explanation the complexity and obscurity pays off. ~ David Jeffries

Can we put Humpty Dumpty back together again-? Edward Ka-Spel & LPD are definitely going to try. - "All The King's Men" (all new material) & its companion release on Soleilmoon "All The King's Horses," are albums inspired & affected by the events of September 11th. In classic LPD form, they use a nursery rhyme to evoke both the apocalyptic events of a year ago & the hope that has arisen from them. This album is a paradox & a provocation. The world has fallen apart & we must put it back together. What should we do?Formed in 1980 in the UK, and shortly thereafter transplanted to Amsterdam, The Legendary Pink Dots are more together today than ever before. Constantly touring for 20 years on the Continent and USA, they have produced over 25 records on labels such as Play It Again Sam, Wax Trax, Staalplaat, Caroline, and Soleilmoon USA. Their leader, Edward Ka-Spel, a frequent collaborator with Skinny Puppy, has released albums of his own material and with Tear Garden (members of Skinny Puppy) on Nettwerk Capitol USA. Legions of adoring fans virtually assure a sellout crowd for the band's gigs. Their unusual mixture of electronic psychedelic whimsy and Alice In Wonderland playful, lush textural madness have kept them constantly on the top of the underground cult musical scene. Musicians: The Silverman- Keyboards; Edward Ka-Spel- Vox & Keyboards; Martin De Kleer- Guitars & Violins; Niels Van Hoorn- Electric Horns; Raymond Steeg- Sound Wizadry.

Personnel: Edward Kaspel (vocals, keyboards); Martin De Kleer (guitar, violin); Niels Van Hoorn (electric horn); The Silverman (keyboards); Raymond Steeg (sound effects).

Personnel: Edward Ka-Spel (vocals, keyboards); Martijn de Kleer (guitar, violin); Niels Van Hoorn (horns).

Uncut (3/03, p.100) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...The ultimate message of these songs is that the world, like the Pink Dots themselves, is fragile but strangely resilient..."