The Dreaming - The Official Site

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09/17/2006
Hello all in the Dreaming universe. :)
We have been in a little hibernation as of late because we are currently in the studio recording our fourth CD. As of this writing we are almost completed and will have the disk out into the world, hopefully, by Christmas. Just in time to fill all your little red stockings!

Quote
From the very first track the listener is aware that he/she is in for
something exciting, full of emotion and energy.
- Sarah Sullivan (2004)
WHOB FM | WBOS FM
Boston, Mass.

Shadow Days, the most recent offering from New York band The Dreaming, is an album of multifaceted tracks which defies precise categorisation. The songs on the album were written by Daniel Haskin (guitar, ebow and keyboard) and Ray Lorigo (guitar and bass). Ann Janish-Schieder, who also plays keyboard, provides the often haunting vocals, frequently complementing the music as though her voice were an additional instrument. Leah Pinnavaia adds harmonies (together with lead vocal on one track) and clarinet, while Patrick O'Connell provides drums, percussion and additional acoustic guitar. Vaguely reminiscent of a wide diversity of artists, there is a "world-music" feel to some tracks as primitive and modern influences merge, a track with a "swing" sound, two attractive instrumentals, one track which has a country flavour, and a variety of songs which make interesting listening with often thought-provoking lyrics.

The opening track, Demons, features some gentle percussion overlaid with Ann's vocals and some effective harmonising, which is followed by the slower, more wistful sounding Useful Vagueness, a beautiful track with some nice guitar and bass which changes tempo to speed up, then slow again. My 13-year old son's remark was that it reminds him of the Red Hot Chilli Peppers – on this I cannot comment but they are one of his favourite bands, so high praise!

Perfect Skin, the third track, is a very pleasant, floaty ballad with some lovely acoustic guitar, clarinet accompaniment and interesting lyrics about the impossibility of living up to the perfect screen images portrayed by female Hollywood screen goddesses. This particular track reminds me vaguely of Illusion, a band I enjoyed listening to way back in the 1970s.

Piglet and the Black Fox changes the mood entirely; a rockier song altogether which alternates between prog rock electric guitar, haunting keyboard and distant female echoes, at times almost punkish vocals sound reminiscent of Siouxsie Sioux, highlighting the versatility of The Dreaming. This track seamlessly segues into Love is a Grieving Thing, once again slower and more melodic, with lyrics reflected in the title. Supernova follows, a meandering, spacey song with some sensitive clarinet playing and melodic electric guitar. The next track is the first of two instrumentals, Loki; very attractive indeed.

My Resurrection follows, initially with a "big" sound which mellows and once again wends and weaves its way, overlaid with Anne's vocals. Mourning Rain, pulls more surprises out of the bag as it has a folky, almost country, feel both lyrically and musically, largely supplied by the addition of Joe Pinnavaia on mandolin. This is followed by Hard Enough, where swing appears to be the major influence!

The album finishes with The Dreaming, an ethereal sounding track which for me evokes "the Dreaming" of Aboriginal culture, timeless tales passed from one generation to the next of the natural world and its creation.

Quote
Dulcet vocals, graceful instrumentation and sweet melodies lull the listener into a relaxed,
dreamlike state on the debut CD by the band appropriately called the Dreaming.
- Toni Ruberto, Buffalo News, (2001)