All the Pretty Little Horses (theinmostlight)

Durtro 030CD, 1996, Running time: 55:33

All the Pretty Little Horses (theinmostlight)
  1. The Long Shadow Falls - 02:15
  2. All the Pretty Little Horsies - 02:35
  3. Calling for Vanished Faces I - 01:51
  4. The Inmost Night - 02:16
  5. This Carnival is DEAD and Gone - 03:11
  6. The Bloodbells Chime - 02:59
  7. Calling for Vanished Faces II - 04:10
  8. The Frolic - 08:12
  9. The Inmost Light - 01:46
  10. Twilight Twilight Nihil Nihil - 08:23
  11. The Inmost Light Itself - 09:29
  12. All the Pretty Little Horses - 02:34
  13. Patripassian - 05:51

Part two of The Inmost Light trilogy. This is it, my favorite Current 93 album; in fact, it’s probably my favorite album ever. If you only buy one c93 album, this should be the one. There are so many layers to this fantastic recording that I can’t provide an accurate description; it’s a work that simply has to be experienced. Suffice to say that it’s the most beautiful, chilling, and cohesive work I’ve ever heard, and I can’t recommend it highly enough. Lyrics are included in the liner. You must have this.

THE LONG SHADOW FALLS starts where part one of The Inmost Light trilogy left off, with John Balance’s voice repeating “why can’t we all just walk away?” The music is tinkling bells and a harmonium.

ALL THE PRETTY LITTLE HORSIES is a traditional folk song, performed brilliantly by Current 93. Tibet whispers the vocals over delicate guitar.

Continuing with the folk sound, CALLING FOR VANISHED FACES I lyrically begins one of the album’s primary theme, “nihil.”

THE INMOST NIGHT is an ominous and sinister song, featuring some very strange vocals by Tibet. The background music makes the piece particularly scary.

Once again back in the folk theme, THIS CARNIVAL IS DEAD AND GONE is slightly faster-paced and more energetic than the previous tracks.

Track six, THE BLOODBELLS CHIME, is one of my favorite songs ever. It’s sweet and sad and otherworldly. Incidentally, the line about Louis’ grave refers to the artist Louis Wain, mostly known for his wonderful depictions of cats.

CALLING FOR VANISHED FACES II shifts the album into even more depressing and beautiful territory. The background music is slightly strange buzzing drones, while the foreground is lovely and melancholy folk music.

Very strange and vivid lyrics mark THE FROLIC. The music is fairly similar to the previous track, with drones and folk music over, but there’s also a strange buried loop of a child’s voice in there as well.

THE INMOST LIGHT is more folk music, with Tibet’s vocals and a child’s “la la la” in the background.

Shifting more into the experimental sound, TWILIGHT TWILIGHT NIHIL NIHIL is a long and menacing piece that’s simply full of disturbing sounds and music. John Balance provides the scary vocals, layers and layers meshing across each other. The main lyrical themes are “who will deliver me from this body of death?” and “nihil nihil nihil nihil.”

Track eleven, THE INMOST LIGHT ITSELF, mixes the guitar from THE INMOST LIGHT with Tibet’s vocals and various experimental-style background sounds and children’s voices (for a VERY eerie effect). Balance provides backing vocals on this track. Over time, this has grown to become my favorite song on the album, both in terms of content and music. It feels to me like the thematic climax.

The second track is reprised with ALL THE PRETTY LITTLE HORSES. This time, Nick Cave provides the lead vocals (with Tibet whispering in the background).

The final track, PATRIPASSIAN, is Nick Cave reciting a text by Blaise Pascal over a ghostly choir.  Absolutely chilling.

Epilogue: (Thomas Ligotti) To Eden with me you will not leave, to live in a cottage of crazy crooked eaves. In your own happy home you take care these nights; when you let your little cat in, turn on the lights. Something scurries behind and finds a cozy place to stare. Something sent to you from paradise, paradisically so rare. Tongues flowering; they leap out laughing, lapping, disappear.