Verdict (Rating): a musical journey through elegant soundscapes (D'Arcana - 80%, As Worlds They Rise And Fall - 85%)
More info: www.darcana.com
D'Arcana are a three piece outfit featuring Shelby Snow (Bass, Vocals), Jay Tausig (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist) & James Camblin (Guitars, Vocals) who have been recording and performing live since 2003. This North Californian group describe themselves as a Psychedelic, Progressive, Space/Folk Rock and Fusion project. The band have released two albums - a self-titled debut in 2004 and "As World Rise and Fall" in 2005. (The band have recently added drummer Larry Stites to the line-up and will release their third album, "Premonitions" in Spring 2006.)
D'Arcana's music covers a number of styles ranging from medieval folk through progressive rock to Frank Zappa style fusion. The common factor is what seems like a layered approach. I don't have a clue how D'Arcana actually go about writing their music, but listening to it I imagine the band developing it as a series of layers with Jay's soft vocals floating on top. Surprisingly the result isn't a complex cluttered sound, instead it is simple and elegant.
I'll have to admit that when I first played one the CD's I thought that the music was going to be too laid back, even boring, for me. As it turns out I did most of my listening to these whilst I was redecorating one of the rooms in our house - a job which don't enjoy that much. Normally painting is a noisy affair as I pick out some metal or hard rock and get to work. This time I decided to do my review listening whilst I painted. A bit like those layers I mentioned earlier, a favourable response to D'Arcana's music built up gradually.
Listening to two CD back to back it seems to me that the second CD has a more progressive rock edge to it compared to the more varied and psychedelic debut. It also sounds more focused - I'd describe the tracks on the second album as songs whereas the tracks on the debut are more pieces of music. In fact I found that I don't think of individual tracks that much. I just treat the whole albums as musical journeys through varied soundscapes. Those soundscapes include influences from a raft of progressive acts, but key to the success of the albums is the fact the band have forged their own identity.
