Sunday, April 22, 2007
The Temple Bell by Old Jerusalem (PT)
Francisco Silva is back with his project Old Jerusalem. This time, on its third release, this singer-songwritter takes us to The Temple Bell, an album released, once again, on the Portuguese independent label Bor Land.

As previously on Twice The Humbling Sun and April, Francisco Silva keeps sailing in a sea of melancholy, spreading the spectrum of folk music, with mellow and beautiful acoustic songs, intimate and emotive lyrics and stories on love and little insignificant things. This might have to do with the fact that some of these songs were supposed to be released on his second album, Twice The Humbling Sun, and that others came to life on 2005 and 2006 when Francisco was promoting that very same album.

On this third chapter, Francisco's lo-paced vocals, the acoustic tunes that drop slowly out of the guitar and the introduction of such instruments as cello and vibraphone, among others, take us from reality, carrying us to a very special place where there's no disturbance but those fine and intimate tunes coming out of your stereo.....

The album, with its 11 songs, starts wonderfully with Her Scarf, the first single out of this The Temple Bell, with Francisco on vocals and Ana Figueiras supporting him with her delicate and sweet vocal contribution. This song somehow gives us a taste of what Old Jerusalem is up to now. Next we head to Dayspring (go to Sleep, Now), definitely a close encounter with Kurt Wagner's music. The song evolves slowly with the percussion and the guitar setting up the pace to Francisco's whispered lyrics.

Ruler Of My Heart is one of the most beautiful songs out of Old Jerusalem's third album. A step ahead of the material Francisco recorded before, this little song becomes a giant close to all the other ten tracks.

Throughout these 39 minutes there is still time for Grasshoppers, Boxes, Lunar Calendar and Time Time Time, another three pearls on an album that, unfortunately, does keep up with what we are shown on the very beginning. After Lunar Calendar, and with the exception of Time Time Time, the songs start sounding more to each other, loosing that feeling of novelty we could find on the first five tracks.

The Temple Bell is one of my favourite albums released in Portugal this 2007. Listen to some mp3s right next, or visit Old Jerusalem's Myspace for some other tracks.

Her Scarf
Dayspring (Go To Sleep, Now) - preview
Ruler of My Heart- preview
Grasshoppers
Boxes- preview
Summer of Some Odd Year

The album can be bought here.

Find Old Jerusalem live on the

27/04/07 @ Matosinhos, on Fnac Norteshopping
29/04/07 @ Oporto, on Casa da Animacao
11/05/07 @ Portalegre, on the Centro de Artes e Espectaculos

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posted by SKL @ 4:06 AM  
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