Farewell

There was a time, back in the mid-'80s, when the name Clan of Xymox was spoken in the same breath as those of Cocteau Twins and Dead Can Dance, bands that epitomized a sort of ethereal pre-goth genre that was simultaneously soothing and challenging, and that inspired thousands (but not millions) of British and American teenagers to wear black lipstick and hide their eyes behind large and unsettling hairdos. Clan of Xymox never achieved the commercial success of Cocteau Twins or the critical success of Dead Can Dance, but unlike both of those bands, they're still making records. Their fourth album for the Metropolis label, Farewell, finds them continuing in a musical vein that the press materials describe, quite aptly, as dark goth electro. Song titles like "Cold Damp Day," "Dark Mood," "There's No Tomorrow," and "It's Not Enough" will probably give you a good idea of what to expect: deep voices, minor chords, thumping beats that refer to industrial music without embracing it. This is mood music for when you're in a bad mood, and it's not at all unattractive. Note particularly the relatively upbeat "Courageous" and nicely tuneful (if weakly sung) "Losing My Head." Recommended.