I’m afraid that I also have to confess to Dead Can Dance as being a “guilty pleasure.” In fact, according to LastFm (AudioScrobbler), they’re my 7th most-listened to artist. Lisa Gerrard does have a fanastic voice. She does the vocals in Now We Are Free, that haunting track from the movie Gladiator, which I also love.

Of the Dead Can Dance tracks I have, the one that sticks in my mind most lately is Fortune Presents Gifts Not According to the Book, from the album Aion. Firstly, because it has a title which is, I think, rather cryptic, causing me to wonder about its origin and meaning. The second thing is the orchestration, so vivid and so sharp, but so unmodern. The lyrics too are unconventionally philosophical, as so many songs sungs by Brendan Perry are, highlighting the capriciousness of life and Murphy’s Law.

When you expect whistles it’s flutes
When you expect flutes it’s whistles