The Brothel To The Cemetery

Rate It! Avg: 4.5 (55 ratings)
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Total Tracks: 19   Total Length: 54:04

eMusic Review

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Kurt Loder

eMusic Contributor

04.22.11
A rogue's gallery of murdrers and thieves
2000 | Label: Misery Guts Music / The Orchard

The sun never shines in a Tiger Lillies song. Never. And the twisted creatures who scurry furtively through its lyrics — murderers, rapists, pederasts — are not running toward the light. The Tiger Lillies have been elaborating their strange art since 1989. Martyn Jacques, the leader, songwriter and accordionist, sings every song in a keening, castrato-esque falsetto. Adrian Stout, who plays upright bass with exceptional fluidity, also weighs in from time to time on musical saw. And hulking percussionist Adrian Huge, who sits behind (or looms over) a minimalist kit with cymbals the size of pie plates and a bass drum resembling a large hat box, is also likely to clatter forth on an ancillary array of odd metallic objects that includes several kinds of kitchenware. It would be the tinniest of reviewer clichès to say that I've never heard anything like this English trio, but, well, consider it said, anyway.

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Quirky, Weird, Odd, Strange, Bizarre

pundragon

First two warnings: Listen to the samples before you download because The Tiger Lillies are NOT everyone's cup of tea. If you download these songs you will probably go to hell (if you believe in such a place). OK, now that you have been warned, on with the review. This is one of my favorite Tiger Lillies albums. It's a scary carnival run by gypsies who steals babies and impregnates your teenage daughters. It's a drunk priest in drag. It's ominous and blasphemous and gauranteed to get you stopped at the gates of Heaven to explain your wicked deeds and dirty thoughts. It's a Hieronymous Bosch tryptich called Garden of Earthly Delights turned to music. It's eerie and sexy in a way that makes most people ashamed. And it's just downright entertaining. Some may say it is an acquired taste. I don't know about that. I have been gobbling it up since I first heard it.

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;asljk;sav asdfaaasdf

imsobored

dang it cant write more than two reviews 0.o and wow this font is horrible

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Bloody Brilliant!

EMUSIC-00C2A304

This album is among the Tiger Lillies finest work. (eMusic-where's "Shockheaed Peter" or "The Little Matchgirl"?)These guys are INCREDIBLE live. If you ever get the chance...GO SEE THEM PLAY LIVE!

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Do not buy

EequalsMCsquare

Don't be mistaken. The vocals make this unlistenable. The reviews were great and I got suckered in and had my worst month ever on emusic.

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Decadent

Gonsiska

Take a visit to the underbelly of life. Great stuff, the vocals are an acquired taste, but the lyrics cut right across the 'moral right' of the world.

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hard to find!

dpm326

Wow, I have been unable to find this record for years! If I did see it, it was extremely expensive (like over $50)...so pick it up while you can before it disappears....

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Indescribable - you just have to hear it.

arntzville

This is one of the most refreshingly demented albums I have ever heard. The person that mentioned Tom Waits and Edward Gorey is right on, although I think there's a bit of Monty Python in here, too... "Alone With The Moon" is gorgeous and hilarious at the same time, and "Banging In The Nails" has to be one of the most jubilantly blasphemous songs ever. Awesome.

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a taste of freddie (mercury) ?

crante

hi guys sorry for my english "macaroni" listen these songs .. a degenerated freddie r.i.p. i like so much ! bye from italy

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Wonderful!

Sadie

This album is wonderful! Did you know they wrote the score to Shockheaded Peter? Retailers, buy this album from bigdaddymusic.com

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Their best starting point

BarmyFotheringayPhipps

Okay, take Tom Waits, add Bertolt Brecht, Edward Gorey and the creepy MC that Joel Grey played in CABARET. That's the Tiger Lillies in a nutshell. There is no middle ground on this love them or hate them band, but if you want to jump in, start here.

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