Disco de Rasputina: “Oh Perilous World”

As a Rasputina fan from the beginning, I think this is absolutely one of their best, musically tightest albums. The narrative fits together like a complicated puzzle, revealing subtleties with each listen. Rasputina continues to be one of the fiercest rock bands on the planet, but IMO, this album contains a deeper emotional resonance than prevous releases. The band has always tempered balls out rock with beautiful, emotional passages, and they've perfected that approach. Melora imbues every word and passage with knowledge, and a true understanding of every angle of the story she's telling. While Rasputina are definately challenging themselves and their fans, Oh Perilous World is also their most accessible album. I feel like any person who likes good music and songwriting, regardless of genre, would like, or at least respect this album. There's nobody in existance like Rasputina, and I think they've continually raised the bar for good music in general. I was actually thinking the other day about how I've never had a friend say anything bad to me about Rasputina. I've met people who didn't love them, but they're always blown away by their musicianship. So, if you love Rasputina, I think you'll love this album. If you're not familiar, but consider yourself a fan of good, unique music, Oh Perilous World is worth a listen.

"Oh Perilous World" is another step in the direction hinted at w/ the highly underrated "Cabin Fever". This time out we have a kind of concept album w/ lyrical content influenced by current events more so than on previous releases. Even when the subject matter veers toward the more familiar Rasputina territory of centuries past, it draws interesting parallels between our civilization's past and present, often pointing out how little we seem to learn from our mistakes.

Musically, Melora Creager continues to move forward ensuring that no Rasputina record sounds like what she's done before.The dulcimer that first showed up on "Cabin Fever" plays a more prominent role along w/ some wonderful recorder playing by Ms. Creager and some piano provided by (official member since "Frustration Plantation") drummer Jonathan TeBeest. This is all anchored quite expertly by the cello playing of Melora and new 2nd cellist Sarah Bowman.

The melodies are, as always, gorgeous and the band balances the classical & heavy elements (along w/ some wonderful psychedelic moments) beautifully.

If you can, get the deluxe limited version. The bonus CD compliments the album even better than the one that accompanied the limited version of the last disc.

Lets hope that more people come to realize what a national treasure we in the U.S. have in Rasputina. Support the lovely, dangerous art of Rasputina while they are around. You don't run across music this great every day.

Like all the reviewers here, I'm a long time fan. I have to say that I had to warm up to this album. I did not think it was very good at first but am now glad that I spent the time to get to know it better.

As with all Rasputina albums, I think most listeners will enjoy about three quarters of the album, love two or three tracks especially, and absolutely hate two or three of the tracks.

The curious thing about Rasputina is that sometimes one can go from hating one of the songs to loving it (I just did that with "Incident in a Medical Clinic.")

Melora continues here to expand her vocal repertoire. Melora shifts from saccharine crooner to carny caller to slide guitar blues singer to vaudeville singer. Some of the songs also switch personalties with such abandon that at times I was reminded of the work of Raymond Scott.

Yes definitely get the bonus CD.

Rasputina always makes me smile. I think I may like this album the best, though. Good pop melodies that could've made it to the Beatles White Album or Abbey Road combined with eccentric and well-crafted lyrics. Be forewarned, you should read up on Mary Shelly and Frankenstein and the weather conditions at Villa Diodati, the Mutiny on the Bounty, and that obscure bit of American history when Mary Todd Lincoln sent her armored blimps to subdue the rebellion on Pitcairn Island.

Oh Perilous World, Rasputina's fifth original CD release, brilliantly blends current world events with their classic historical style, all fused together with cellos, drums, and haunting vocals.

This album, like most of their previous efforts, is a concept album, following this storyline: Mary Todd Lincoln is Queen of Florida, and her blimp armies have attacked Pitcairn Island, where Fletcher Christian's son Thursday ("played" by drummer Jonathan TeBeest) emerges as a resistance icon.

Melora Creager (the brains behind Rasputina) "wrote the songs featured on Oh Perilous World over the last two years after deciding current world events were more bizarre than anything she could scrounge up from the distant past." And indeed, subjects range from the 9/11 attacks, Osama Bin Laden. Hurricane Katrina, Avian Flu, and the like. Because the subjects are blended in with the concept theme, I don't feel they are presented in an in-your-face way.

"The songs were recorded primarily with cello and drums, but despite this simple palette Rasputina create a wide range of textures and effects, including what seems to be electric guitars and violins -- but is actually cunningly played and recorded cello."

My favorite songs are "1816, The Year Without a Summer"; "Draconian Crackdown"; "We Stay Behind"; and "The Infidel is Me."

IF YOU ARE A DEVOUT FAN, I recommend you buy the CD from their website, as you may still be able to get a copy of the limited edition, which has a bonus disc featuring three additional songs and six of their infamous skits. The bonus disc tracks are as follows:

1. The Question Of Time

2. Identity Tokens

3. The Humanized Mice

4. The Pruning (Pat O'Brian / Access Hollywood Mix)

5. Flood Corps

6. Incapable Of Regret

7. Desert Vampire

8. The Contractors

9. Infidel (Instrumental Demo)

I think the skit "The Pruning (Pat O'Brian / Access Hollywood Mix)" alone is worth the extra money, as it's a hilarious recording of (someone who sounds a lot like) Pat O'Brian speaking the lyrics of the song over the music. It's truly funny!

All in all, these girls are my favourite band in the world, and Melora's addition of Sarah Bowman on second chair only reinforces that fact.

(All quotes are from Rasputina's website.)