Former Dead Can Dance founder Brendan Perry doesn’t stray to far from the path that he created with his former band for his first solo album. The sweet soulful songs echo less in a percussive world music fashion, but stay forlorn enough to still have a home in a goth’s heart. His vocals resonate with a poetic passion, and are no longer overshadowed by Lisa Gerrard’s. Each note is hit with perfection, which is a testament to Perry’s work ethic and desire to create a breathtaking debut. It’s challenging not to think of Dead Can Dance songs when listening to this new material, and granted it’s not as good, but it’s not a major departure from their sound. A true tragedy has been averted as Perry proves that he can put out quality material and didn’t succumb to the pressures of other dynamic duo songwriting partners who split.
(4AD)Brendan Perry
Eye of the Hunter
BY Matt MernaghPublished Dec 1, 1999