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Dandelion Wine
An Inexact Science

Black Rain/Ars Musica Diffundére

Posted: Tuesday, February 13, 2007
By: Jakob Huneycutt
Researcher

It's always fun to find surprises and hidden messages inside a new CD case, so I was rather delighted to open up Dandelion Wine's An Inexact Science, pull out the album booklet from a unique little pouch, and discover the phrase, "so secrets don't come out..." hidden underneath. The cover itself is a somewhat indescribable assortment of black and gray objects that appear vaguely Middle Eastern and African in nature and contrast sharply with the totally white backdrop. It's a simple cover in a way, but hints at a deeper complexity.

Dandelion Wine describe themselves as an "ethereal post-dreampop band" and claim their music comes from a world where "the centuries bleed into one another to create a seamless whole." As I write this review and try to think of terms that would do justice to this band's music, I find that there could be no description more apt than that. Dandelion Wine originates out of Melbourne, Australia and consists of only two members, Naomi Henderson and Nicholas Albanis, both of whom play an array of various instruments on the album including the flute, dulcimer, guitar, mandolin, and the list goes on. Listening to the album, it does not take long to realize that both Henderson and Albanis are very talented musicians with eclectic tastes and abilities.

While the album art and packaging for An Inexact Science was enjoyable, the music itself is even more so. It does not take long to become enchanted by the album as the first track, "Stable" is one of the most amazingly powerful and beautiful songs I've ever heard and it only seems to get stronger upon repeated listening. Naomi Henderson's angelic vocals shine in the track, and indeed, throughout the entire CD.

Even if the rest of An Inexact Science never quite achieves the absolute splendor of the opening number (a difficult standard to live up to), the entire album nevertheless manages to keep the listener absorbed. The album's second track, "Found" shows off Dandelion Wine's textured sound while Henderson's chorus of "Am I insane? Am I not sane?" displays not only the pure elegance of her voice, but also her impeccable sense of timing and control. In fact, in a music scene where female vocalists with beautiful voices almost seem to be a dime a dozen, this is perhaps what sets her apart from others. Henderson's true brilliance is understanding how to best utilize her voice to achieve the most dazzling results.

Other highlights of the album include "Black Glitter," another song where the offbeat lyrical elements so perfectly display Henderson's musical intelligence. Then there's the two-part "Little Pieces," which begins with a wondrous minimalist ambience before leading into a second half laden with a variety of instruments including violins and cellos.

There's really not a whole lot on An Inexact Science to criticize. Even the album's weaker numbers are still quite enjoyable, if not quite as awe-inspiring as the band's best material. As far as comparisons go, it's difficult to say whom Dandelion Wine sounds most like, which is probably a compliment in and of itself. About as close as a comparison one could make is Black Tape for a Blue Girl in that they both have a very textured ethereal sound that successfully blends a variety of musical elements and inspirations. Overall, An Inexact Science is a brilliant and beautiful conceptual work and an excellent album that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys ambient music, experimental works, or something that is just a bit different.