Efterklang & Danish National Chamber Orchestra – Performing Parades

Live albums are often considered slightly rubbish, song remakes with applause at the end rarely being a better substitute for new, original material or the notion of forking out an extra £5 to actually see the band live. Efterklang’s live rendition of their 2007 album Parades, however, will make you want to get the CD, go see them live, buy a t-shirt and maybe, if you’re feeling dramatic, cry a bit.Performing Parades is a CD and DVD combo, the audio part being a recording of a live performance of the widely praised Parades, made ever-more ethereal and enchanting thanks to the helping hand of The Danish National Chamber Orchestra. The DVD withholds a 55-minute concert performance and a documentary of the recreation of Parades, visible proof that Efterklang’s experimentation is not limited to the senses of the ears.This release displays a great deal of ardour on Efterklang’s part, seeing as Parades hardly required improving, having received copious amounts of flattery and acclaim upon its release. Performing Parades demonstrates the levels of the bands aspiration to make themselves the best they can be, even if it means striving to improve a near flawless album.Group chanting, tenuous percussion, tinkering brass and high ghostly vocals add to the other worldly retelling of an already classic story. The Nordic music mentality is very much present in such respects, their sweeping orchestral arrangements and childlike whispering vocals resounding with the echo of Mum and Sigur Ros, as though the music of all of these acts is encapsulated by the northern winds and forlorn landscapes.The almighty equation of the original Parades plus an entire orchestra can be overwhelming, considering Parades itself was on occasion a testing release for those without a heightened threshold for experimentation. For the majority of the album, however, the Danish National Chamber Orchestra add a new dimension to the songs, shining particularly on opening track Polygene, wherein they lay low during the beginning verses, to eventually swoop up to match and compliment the volume of the vocal harmonies. 'Frida Found A Friend' and' Caravan' are also particularly enhanced by the presence of the orchestra, and considering they were two of the stronger tracks on the original Parades, it seems apparent that the orchestras purpose is not to alter, but to elevate.The DVD content shows Efterklang and their accompanying orchestra in toy doll and fairytale style attire, adorning pointed hats and face paint, adding an air of surrealism to the already far from ordinary sight of hoards of musicians and every instrument thinkable on one stage. They take experimentation to another level, and for those who are already exhausted by the ambitious vision of the music, perhaps it would be best to close your eyes. But for all others, the visual performance is akin to a ghostly, musical version of Pinocchio that you really, really want to witness for yourself. And that is the purpose of this release surely, to prove the live talents of the band, their flexibility, courage and imagination, and to show all those who have not seen them live what they are missing out on.

Buy the album on Amazon | [itunes link="http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/id333816929?uo=4" title="Efterklang_The_Danish_National_Chamber_Orchestra-Performing_Parades_(Live)_(Album)" text="iTunes"]