Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #9859 in Music
• Released on: 2007-06-25
• Number of discs: 2
• Dimensions: .29 pounds

Customer Reviews

Album release of the year
If you know Emilie through Opheliac, or the Liar/The Dead Is The New Alive EP, I should tell you now, that this album is not like that. This album is purely violin and production wizardry you would come to expect from Emilie Autumn. That is not to say that this album is completely different, as the second disc sounds like a complicated instrumental version of the Opheliac album. If you enjoyed Emilie's 'Dominant' from Opheliac and 'Unlaced' from the EP, there is no reason why you won't like this.

About the album though. Generous as always, there are twenty-two tracks on this album. They come in two discs. The first disc is simply a re-release of the extremely rare first album of hers 'On A Day...' only, it has five unnamed live bonus tracks. This first disc is purely classical, based around her violin, most of which are compositions by well known composers such as Bach. Three of the tracks are her own compositions which sound very much like they go hand in hand with the other timeless classics on the album. These tracks were recorded when she was merely seventeen years old and showcases what a young talent she was. Personally, I prefer this first disc to the second, she throws her own arrangement and interpretation on to the pieces. Whilst she plays the baroque violin with charm and style, she is backed up with her distinctive other sounds of the lute, harpsichord and the baroque cello - just to make sure you get the full Emilie Autumn experience. She is distinctive, even with pieces that have been played by so many others.

The first disc was recorded in 1997. So ten years on, what does the new disc, recorded in 2007 have to offer that is different from her first? Out with the old, in with the new. Emilie abandons the baroque violin in exchange for the electric violin. This time round, everything you hear on this disc is down to Emilie, she plays all of the instruments (including that distinctive harpsichord she is so well known for) and produced the whole thing on her own. I may be bold in saying, this is a disc that you have heard nothing like before. Genius in composition (she wrote all the tracks on this disc) and flawless in their execution, Emilie delivers a sound to excite the mind. It opens with 'Unlaced' which was a sampler for this album on her last EP which is dark, brooding and atmospheric. The albums continues in the same vein, there are no weepy violin solos here. All packed with energy, some dark, and some just plain bouncy such as 'A Cure?' 'Face The Wall' is probably the most fascinating piece on here as it is solo electric violin and is the demonstration of Emilie's refreshing technique with the violin.

I see Amazon does not provide the track listing here, so I'll supply it:

Disc One:
1. La Folia
2. Recercada
3. Largo
4. Allegro
5. Adagio
6. Tambourin
7. Willow
8. Revelry
9. On A Day...
10. Prologue (Live)
11. Sonata for Violin & Basso Continuo (Live)
12. Chaconne (Live)
13. La Folia (Live)
14. Epilogue (Live

Disc Two:
1. Unlaced
2. Manic Depression
3. Leech Jar
4. A Strange Device
5. A Cure?
6. Syringe
7. Cold
8. Face The Wall

Both discs take some listening in order to appreciate the talent on display here. Some tracks may immediately jump out, whilst some are subtle. There is not one bad track on here. I'd highly recommend it to 'Opheliac' fans even if the fact there are no vocals puts you off - the style of the second disc is very much the same. If you love the violin, then there should be nothing stopping you here, as this is a new fascinating way for it to be heard. There is nobody quite like Emilie Autumn. I own a lot of violinist albums and no one comes anywhere near Emilie - not even Vanessa-Mae.

All hail the electric violin
Unlike previous album Opheliac, Laced/Unlaced is entirely without lyrics. Although EA's lyrics on Opheliac were good I feel they are not her strongest talent: without lyrics her composing skills are really allowed to shine. Writing both classical and "violindustrial" through a variety of emotions, from deeply brooding to manically energetic, Emilie is aggressively confident - giving us what could be her best album yet.

Genius
These 2 albums are quite extraordinary, beyond words really. Unlaced has just left me reeling with its virtuosity, creativity and musicality which is not the reaction I expected to distorted electric violin. Genius? - I think so.