Reviewed by Jezebel From Starvox

Brilliant. Sensual. Sexual. Hypnotizing. Mesmerizing. Emotional. Gentle. Graceful. Uplifting. Breathtaking. - A few adjectives for a night and now CD, that defied adjectives and pleaded for new ones to be created to fully describe what happened at an intimate show by All About Eve.

For those of you who don’t know, All About Eve is back. Splitting up in 1993, they have each taken on different projects (Jules et Jim, Mice, Julianne’s work with This Burning Effigy, etc.). Opening for Mission on their tour in 2000, All About Eve was back. Marty Wilson-Piper, Andy Cousin and the amazing songbird, Julianne Regan reunited not just for those shows, but to test the waters and see if anyone still listened, or even cared.

Since then, AAE have been for the most part, touring non-stop. Acoustic shows, electric shows and combos of the both, all through the UK have proven to them that they were indeed always listened to and never ever forgotten. In fact, people were always praying silently that they would reunite. The fans still cared.

But as I unwrapped my Union Chapel CD, I was nervous. I had been at this show. I sat in the pew and rocked and danced and dreamed. It had been a magical show. The band had taken time to put tea candles completely around the stage and as had been their trademark, fairy lights around the mike stands. With the stained glass, the gorgeous sense of history and spirituality the venue was perfect. As Julianne herself has said, “All I can say is that I was stood in the vortex of a twinkly, sparkly spangled spiraling sonic smoky delicately thrashy twilight midnight dreamworld. All I know is that, for me, and for my lovely fellow Eves, that night was special. I personally felt that it made the Royal Albert Hall look like a bingo hall.”

So could they capture it on CD? Could they somehow make me feel like I did that night? And perhaps more importantly – could it make someone who wasn’t there feel what we all did? The answer is a resounding yes.

Starting with the beautiful and whispering "Lady Moonlight", the album immediately wraps you in a warm feeling, touching you gently and relaxing you. You are at ease. Marty slowly and seductively strums out his guitar. It touches you on the shoulder, bades you a sweet hello. And this mood, this feeling, something of a tangible sigh continues though the next tracks of "Freeze, Wishing the Hours Away", and the poignant and melancholy ballad of "Martha’s Harbour".

And then it rocks…Marty gets the chance to play loud and hard in "Wild Hearted Woman" and "In the Clouds". The album just continues taking you on an emotional and amazing trip through all of the music that makes All About Eve a band that can leave, and come back years later and pick up with you again. Their music is timeless…because clear beautiful vocals, poignant, insightful lyrics and amazing musicians is something that never can lose its place among those who appreciate what music is about.

Surprises of the evening and the CD included "Forever", one of Marty’s songs, and Julianne made this song enrapture. As well as "You Bring Your Love To Me", another of Marty’s songs, this one another love song which Julianne’s vocals give a special touch.

December is not just the beautiful song which reminds all what it is like to be alone near the holidays, but it is haunting. The echo from the venue, the sweetness of Julianne’s voice, the subtlety of the guitars, cutting out to allow acapello from Julianne…..her sigh…her leaving the notes to just hang in the air…..”taking our breath away”.

The reworkings of the songs make them find new life, new energy and new places within our hearts. I went back to my collection of AAE thinking that they would somehow not be as much anymore after this…but that was wrong. These versions gave fresh spins on old masterpieces and there is enough room for both in my world and heart.

This limited edition 2 CD album (once these are sold out a one CD version will be available) includes on the second CD, "Scarlet", "Never Promise Anyone Forever", and one of my all-time favorites, "Farewell Mr. Sorrow".

Do you remember walking out
The day it rained forever
And you were wondering
If I held dreams of wedding rings
Well, farewell Mr. Sorrow

Who doesn’t have someone that song relates to? I can go on. And on. "Shelter From The Rain" makes softness powerful. The “lightening strikes again”. And what I have always felt is an anthem for those always left of center in the world, "What Kind of Fool". Those single notes being played, you can hear on the album how the crowd went wild. And the final track, as you hear the crowd roaring (believe it was a lot louder that night), "Outshine The Sun", which I had not been familiar with, is a lovely tune which made the whole audience as well as the listener, rock contentedly to themselves.

The one thing this CD is missing is the banter between the three. Always witty, always on mark, the three just make you feel like you are sitting in their living room and you are all just joking about. Julianne plays mother or older sister role, “tut tutting” the more raucous behavior of Andy and most certainly, Marty. (He is a fiendish little devil).

Have the Eve’s lost anything over the years? No. This CD proves it. Marty is still a breathtakingly amazing guitarist and ham (unfortunately, the 15 minute version of "Every Angel", which they did for an encore did not make the album – a complete shame as Marty really out did himself). Andy still is the base of strength and subtle power in the group and Julianne’s voice still has the haunting strength and pull that makes it one of the most touching and memorable voices in the goth and music world. Ironically, Julianne was terrified that night as she had been ill with throat problems and was fearful that she could not sing. This did not seem evident the night and certainly not on the CD.

This is the third of the live CDs they have released in the last year and a half and are working on new material for an entirely new album. (Join in my dance of happy joy please.) All About Eve are back (did I say that already?) They should have never left in the first place, but we are all the more happy just to have them again.

Track List: 1.Lady Moonlight 2.Freeze 3.Wishing The Hours Away 4.Martha’s Harbour 5.Wild Hearted Woman 6.In The Clouds 7.Miss World 8.Are You Lonely 9.Interval 10.December

11.Forever 12.More That The Blues 13.You Bring Your Love To Me 14.Shelter From the Rain 15.What Kind Of Fool 16.Outshine The Sun Bonus CD Tracks: 1.Scarlet 2.Never Promise Anyone Forever 3.Farewell Mr. Sorrow

All About Eve are:
Julianne Regan – vocals
Andy Cousin – Bass and acoustic guitars
Marty Wilson-Piper – Electric and acoustic guitars

Appearing on this album:
Rik Carter – Keyboards, acoustic guitar and bass
Del Hood - drums

Review used by kind permission http://www.starvox.net

Buy this album here at Candytree