Nico - The Marvel Index (1969) - Review

Nico - The Marvel Index - (1969) - Cover

Marvel Index (4/5)

One of the strangest and most beguiling albums of the sixties, so ahead of its time that even now it feels like we're still trying to catch-up. Ethereal ambient layers of noise fold along with the deep throated, other worldly voice of Nico.

It is apparent that the infamous Welshman John Cale played a big part in this album, credited for the arrangements only, but his presence is overwhelming. The opening floats in as a short instrumental, which then expands into a wheezing, chiming piece of music, the perfect background for Nico.

The tone is set for the rest of the record, songs which just happen, with an intriguing lack of drive to go anywhere other than into their own world of ambient gazing. Songs which sound like their titles, 'frozen warnings' and 'evening of light' are perfect examples of this musical onomatopoeism.

In fact the outro of the latter, and to the album proper (excluding added bonus tracks) is one of the most startling and beautiful pieces of ambient noise mongery I know, like whistling down a cave with a haunted voice, and it is a sound that subsequent bands have based their whole sound around (compare with the Cocteau Twins' first album, and any number of Bauhaus tracks).

You will never hear anything like this anywhere else, except maybe in the subsequent Nico and John Cale meetings of minds and music, but not with as much denseness as here. This album takes a long time to love, if your brave enough to take the time and take it to heart. All efforts are well worth it.

David Lloyd © January 2000 - Originally written for Amazon

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