My recommendations 2006:Black Ships Ate the Sky by Current 93

Current 93: Black Ships Ate the Sky
Jnana 5/1/2006

Available at Emusic

Current 93 is one of the most dependable and constant things in this world. David Tibet is long past finding himself. Consequently, Current 93 has a well-defined sound that is unlikely to change. For most bands, this would be a liability. However, Tibet has a vast cadre of collaborators, each bringing their own perspective to the apocalyptic folk sound that Tibet pioneered. So each album sounds a little different. Black Ships Ate the Sky returns to the same epic format of Thunder Perfect Mind and All the Pretty Horses. This time, Tibet brings in more vocalists than we have seen on any previous album, including Bonnie "Prince" Billy and Antony Hegarty, resulting in seven versions of "Idumæa". These versions give the album a hub-and-spoke structure, the album returning periodically to the same reference point. Most of the rest of the songs include Tibet's distinctive vocal style in oscillates between chanting and speaking, but almost never singing. All of Tibet's favorite themes are reprised: Gnosticism, Louis Wain, Louis Wain and the Roman Empire. Longtime fans of Current 93 such as myself will find it a welcome return to form, while the uninitiated might enjoy Black Ships Ate the Sky enough to start exploring their vast back catalogue.