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Of The Wand And The Moon

Of The Wand & The Moon * The Lone Descent (cd 2012)

I hardly listen to neofolk, but OTWATM is a band that I do like. I hardly listen to him either though, his music is too melancholic and albums sound too much alike, so skipped a few. Still being curious about the latest attempt, I got myself “The Lone Descent”. It opens brilliantly with a sunspot on Kim’s soul, a quite cheerfull song in which it seems that the 1960’ies psychedelic folk sound also crept into OTWATM. The website of the band says: “No More Happy Songs!” and “”The Lone Descent” is without doubt the most bleak and melancholic album from Of The Wand & The Moon”. Eh? I think I disagree. I do agree with this though: “Again Kim Larsen takes another road than the previous albums. 60’s influenced, where the love for Lee Hazlewood and Serge Gainsbourg shines through.” Very well done too this new sound of OTWATM. It is not like all songs are happy and poprocky, there are also some oldstyle songs, a few melancholic songs with gooseflesh-raising orchestrations, but there is a nice balance with more rock- and folk-oriented songs which makes “The Lone Descent” more managable than entirely depressing albums. A very good album that I might play more often than previous ones.
Link: Of The Wand And The Moon / Heiðrunar Myrkruna

Solanaceae * s/t (cd 2009)

SolanaceaeKim Larsen of Of The Wand And The Moon apparently wanted to make a more folk and a less neofolk album, so he did and he released it under another name on his own label. Solanaceae has very minimalistic folk songs, while in other songs there are many instruments. There is one song that reminds me of Fire + Ice, but most songs are supposedly in the “psychedelic folk” style. The songs and slow, moody and melancholic (but not as much as Of The Wand) and most of them are quite beautiful.
Link: Solanaceae / Heiðrunar Myrkrunar

Of The Wand And The Moon * Sonnenheim (cd 2006 heidhrunar myrkrunar)

However I like the music of this Danish band, I wasn’t planning on buying this new album. The music is nice, but rather monotous and always the same. Slow and tranquil, minimalistic neofolk. Very nice, but I don’t need to have each and every release of the band (however sometimes some stranger experiments can be heard). The same goes for “Sonnenheim”. It is again a nice album, but nothing new. If you want a good neofolk album, you can buy any album of OTWATM, but you don’t have to buy them all if you asked me.

Of The Wand And The Moon * Hail Hail Hail (7” 2005 heiðrunar/myrkrunar)

I do like OTWATM, but I don’t listen to his music too much, neither do I buy all of his music. Because there haven’t been too many OTWATM releases recently and because I have something with 7”s, I decided to get me one of the 666 copies of “Hail Hail Hail” which was released by Larsoon himself. One side has something ambient, the other more experimental ‘neofolk’. An alright 7”.

Of The Wand And The Moon * Midnight Will (10″ 2000 eis & licht tonträger)

The first time I heard of this band, was when they released their debut cd. I think this 10″ came after that and there is also a 7″ on Hau Ruck! Even though the cd was very melancholic and atmosperheric, this 10″ is quite different in style. “Midnight Will” opens with a quite typical neo-folk song and the second track is a not too good soundscape. Face B opens with a ‘guitar-scapes’ track with drumming, but also this track is not too good. The second track of face B is quite good and also is the last song. Both are neo-folk songs, but the second track is slightly uptempo and the last one is slower again. Never does OTWATM sound as melancholic as there wonderfull cd. A new direction of the band?

Of The Wand & The Moon * Nighttime Nightrhymes (cd 1999 euphonius records)

I had never heard of this band, so I can’t tell you anything about it’s history. I read about this cd in a metalmagazine, but there is no metal on this cd. Guitars, they are to be found, but only acoustic. Further there is violin, flute and whispered singing. The attentive reader may have gotten the impression that this is a neo-folk cd and indeed, it is. Not the worst neo-folk cd I have heard either! Musically Of The Wand… are quite similar to Backworld. The music is very tranquil and pretty sad. The whispered singing is beautiful. I wouldn’t have blinked twice if this cd came from World Serpent, but in fact it comes from Voices of Wonder! Anyway, should you like neo-folk music and get the opportunity to hear or buy this one, don’t hesitate!

Of The Wand And The Moon * I Crave For You / In A Robe Of Fire (7″ 2001 prophecy productions)

  • neofolk

It was a nice show of mr. Larsson and friends yesterday in Bochum (ger). Too bad about the other two bands (Tenhi and Dornenreich unplugged) who bored the shit out of me. Of The Wand wasn’t even headliner…
Anyway, I didn’t have this 7″ yet, so I decided to buy it. It contains two tracks in alternative versions. I Crave For You this time with Matt Howden and In A Robe Of Fire this time without Matt Howden in contrary to the versions on the latest cd (see review elsewhere). However to be played at 33 rpm, this is a very short 7″. Only for collectors I guess.