Having achieved yet another masterpiece of "gothic ambient" music with this album, black tape for a blue girl enforces itself as one of my favorite bands. This perfect music with which to fill your room on solitary late nights-- preferably with a light rain falling outside.
Sam Rosenthal's lyrics will cut to your very soul: it is marvelously rare to find a band that consistently complements such evocative words with the perfect musical companionship. So many great musicians have contributed to Black Tape over the years -- among appearances on this album are Oscar Herrera, longtime member; Lucian, who provides beautiful female vocals; and Sam Rosenthal, whose haunting electronic compstitions lie at the essence of the music itself. To choose "favorite" songs from This lush garden within is nearly impossible to do. They are all so thematically interwoven, each song has its own power. But if I absolutely HAD to... "the flow of our spirit " and "this lush garden within" stand out in my mind. I highly recommend this album, obviously.

I'm amazed. While continuing in the warm comforting vein of older material, this introduces something new. A majestic, all-encompassing sound is unleashed; drunk with passion and energy. Elemental touches impregnate each song: soothing air and water in "the christ in the desert," the fiery seductive atmosphere slinking through "we exist, entwined" and the earthiness of all the male vocals especially Padraic Ogl of Thanatos on the title song. Not to overlook the irresistable lure of Lucian, the consumate siren singing hymns of love and desire. The most passionate and revealing Black Tape For A Blue Girl release...the sheer emotion wraps around you in a tangible embrace.

This new release from Projekt's Black tape for a Blue Girl is intensely strong, yet reaches heights of delicacy. The songs remain haunting, as felt through other releases from this band. The difference is a new level, a higher ground. "left unsaid" is deep and rich. "we exist, entwined" is one of my favourite pieces, exotic in sound, meditative in rhythm, and a moving journey lyrically. With words, so soft and stirring, such as "the spirit endowed feminine, reveals herself to me, saying 'arise, and become the living, arise and enter life'. hitherto I dwelled alone - cursed to my dispair. within you I find the origin - I shed my skin of tears." This familiar sense of nature has carried through each Black Tape for a Blue Girl recordings, and is certainly attained in This lush garden within. The famale/male relationship is continually spoken of through these songs. The beauty and pain. The love and confusion. The finding of new strengths and depths of emotion. "This Lush Garden Within", the title song, has the feel of the Valor (of Christian Death) vocals and mood. It is a gorgeous song. The "turbulence and the torment" is mesmerising in a subtle way. The lyrics are so beautiful. When Sam sent me these lyrics years ago to put in "In Rememberance", I made a grave typing error when printing it out (and felt very badly). His words contain something very old, very real and familiar. "overcome, one day, Adam sat... wondering, of himself: 'What have I done? Oh, what have I done?' and the world continued to swirl below him. And the turbulence and the torment continued to swirl. 'Eve' he spoke - as if to relieve a weight - 'don't you see the reason that I love you so? You are so unhappy, your tears are so beautiful and I would never have known them.' He would never had known them. And Eve slowly raised her sad eye. turning towards him, asking: 'And does that make you feel alive? And does that make you feel alive?'" Such are the powerful, and hidden relavations that you'll find in these songs. "Decomposed by the fire of the firmament" is gripping and seemingly full of anguish. This entire CD,This lush garden within, is filled with subtlties and insights. And when its over, you'll feel it beckoning for you to listen to it again, and your soul will call back to it.

From the murky waters of tranquil-ethereal ambience, spiraling and ascending like hazy tendrils surrounding one in a moody liquid-embrace . . . the music overpowering in its rich lush textures, the album is abundant in waves of haunting beauty, mixed with melancholia that mingles and filters like luxurious incense trails . . . To experience Black Tape For A Blue Girl is to succumb to pure, raw emotions; feelings stripped bare, vulnerable yet alive.

Perfection in a guilded cage.
Back again with yet another dramatic release, perfection in a gilded cage. The only criticism I can find to haunt Black Tape... with is repetition! Release after release it's the same, pure emotionally dripping volumes of an almost religious beauty. From the thought provoking front cover of a female nude strewn across a bombsite to the strategically placed contraceptive devices around a flask of milk (genocide orbiting the milk of life!?) on the back; to the rippling vocals enveloping the angelic chorus of guitars and keyboard on each track. They ooze class. Black Tape for a blue girl can be judged from differing view points, be it basic emotionally charged poetic liscense or cerebral statements, however you percieve them the ultimate analysis is they create a spellbinding masterpiece everytime they enter a studio. Once again full marks and more -- God! Don't you just loathe perfectionists.