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Xyra has made an epic sounding record with Through The Dark Glass Shining. Prog rock meets mystical siren. With a voice that’s a cross between Patti Smith and Marianne Faithful, it brings a mysterious quality to the production that helps transcend the somewhat cryptic quality of the lyrical content.
Xyra exudes a spirituality that is somewhere between here and there and she conveys that with lyrics like “Chaos in search of meaning, you hold me dear/Water’s edge in your direction, Ancient stair” from Chaos In Search Of Meaning and “Liquid light, mine tonight/Dangerous liaison, caught in the web/lost in the thought of fateful endeavor” from Liguid Light. Coupled with the melodies she weaves and that voice, in the context of the songs they make perfect sense. Lets just say that the lyrical content of Through The Dark Glass Shining is always entertaining, sometimes cryptic and certainly worth a listen.
Sweeping arrangements give the whole thing a very grand sound that at times seems to jump right out at you.
Xyra shows her knack for Adult Contemporary with a tune like Only, a radio ready song that would make a great single. It’s a catchy mid-tempo number that features some excellent guitar work from Jeff Spencer and a too short killer sax riff from Don Stapleson.The production on some of the songs borders on bombastic, it’s where I hear that prog rock connection, which actually sounds very good in an updated way.
The players, all very talented but too numerous to mention, back Xyra with a thick sound full of energy. Through The Dark Glass Shining is one of the more enigmatic released I’ve heard in a while. Don’t spend a lot of time trying to deciper, just listen and enjoy.
