SIX ORGANS OF ADMITTANCE – “LUMINOUS NIGHT” (Drag City)

When Ben Chasney, the man who is Six Organs Of Admittance, released his last album “Shelter from the Ash”, it was something of a surprise to hear a more hi-fidelity direction taking shape. It worked wonderfully but you could imagine some scenester bloggers yelling “Judas!” into the empty void of the internet.

If those people exist, then “Luminous Night” probably won’t appease them but, frankly, does any album called “Luminous Night” need to justify itself?

When an album has the title “Luminous Night” what the fuck is the poor reviewer meant to do?

The artist has already proven himself more articulate, more expressive than any pathetic little article like this could ever hope to be.

Oh well, here goes anyway: The album opens alarmingly with the instrumental “Actaeon's Fall (Against The Hounds)” which is all flutes and soft rock guitar notes. However, after that it’s straight to the real goods with the dark, majestic “Anesthesia”. Track three, “Bar-Nasha” is an Eastern-tinged folk chant that delights and intoxicates. Following that is “Cover Your Wounds With The Sky” is a spaced-out, fuzzy instrumental. “Ursa Minor” is the classic Six Organs folk sound but in a more full-on stereo soundscape. “River of Heaven” is a staggering 8-minute Eastern psyche drone dirge of mind-blowing proportions.

“The Ballad Of Charley Harper” starts off as another classic folk track but with an unsual guitar solo. The album closer “Enemies Before The Light” is all shimmering keyboards and odd noises with Chansey sings over the top, his vocals going further and further out there, bringing the album to a simmering close.

 “Luminous Night” is an album that justifies it’s beautiful title and I can think of no higher praise than saying that.

Review by Ned Netherwood