Emilie Autumn

There are a lot of boring Gothic/Industrial albums out there, but Emilie Autumn's Opheliac shines brightly in a sea of monotony. This is a big step forward for her, since Enchant. Not saying Enchant wasn't a good album (it is) but there's tons more to offer here on Opheliac. The album opens up with an impressive title track, that wowed me the very first time i heard it. Swallow sets the foundations for an excellent record to follow... It's hard to find a track that doesn't give me some sort of aural pleasure. Between the raw angst and raspy vocals of "Liar", the wicked violin solos and satire of "Dead Is The New Alive", and the touchy subject matter of 'Gothic Lolita", there's almost nothing that doesn't impress me about this album, even after listening to it several times and noticing more subtle musical elements after each listen.
After picking the NEW, more affordable pressing of the jewel case version, I discovered some more treats on the expanded second disc. "Thank God I'm Pretty" almost should have been on the first disc with the rest of the album, but it didn't quite fit the theme, despite being an excellent track. The bonus content at the end is another, different kind of treat. Not only do you get an eavesdropping at the recording of Opheliac with the 'outtakes' segment, but you also get a glimpse into the mind of Emilie with her 'interview' which she talks about her favorite "non-frequently asked questions". There are also 4 video extras on the second disc when you put it in your computer.
Overall, this is an EXCELLENT buy. Worth more than what i paid for it (There are other online retailers that have sold it for $25+, and i almost considered buying it from them before this edition came out). And best of all, if you don't want to spend the money for next-day shipping on Amazon, you can pick it up at your local Hot Topic store!

When I first listened to Emilie Autumn, I dismissed it without too much thought because of genre labeling. Lately this has become a real problem, too, (the act of labeling, I mean, and not my dismissal of albums) with more and more things wearing a "goth" or "alternative" tag around their thin plastic necks. Upon rediscovering her I found this out and realized that I made a momentous mistake (and apologized to the music Gods), and I also realized that I had unconsciously let a label like "goth" steer me away from a great voice with songs that range from interestingly bleak to poignantly descriptive.
How crushing.

With this album, there is a noticable increase in sound quality and I appreciated that. Earlier albums had been faulted - rightly so - for their inability to transfer what Autumn sounds like fully, and I always felt like I was missing something. On Opheliac, everything plays and plays well. Not only dones Autumn sound great, but she breaks the conventional mode in the ways she is known for and the contrast she develops works out well. She plays an odd array of instrumentation to craft just the right feel for a ballad, puts poetry on the album just because the poems are really worth noting, and she takes time and makes social comments about things like suicide and looks. She also offers a great deal of work on this album --- when you find yourself wanting another song, you are rewarded with the fact that you have a double-sided helping of hearth and not just a few tunes.

As far as the album goes, quite a few songs are worth mentioning. Her combination of Bach and Autumn in Bach: Largo for Violin are enticing (and, if you like that, you should look up her album that is a manifesto to this type of talent), her reasoning for not going on living in a world that doesn't appreciate the living in The Art of Suicide is well-played and well-versed, and her commentary on what it means to be "pretty" in Thank God I'm Pretty hits so many pros and cons that it makes one laugh and nod at the way she mocks it all. The poems are great as well, the up-tempo songs make one like to listen, and the wonders go on and on.
I HIGHLY recommend this album to those that enjoy the label, that enjoy the Emilie Autumn, or that simply want a singer with a bleak side and momentum. If you have any doubts, look around and find a sample of one of the tunes (I like Thank God I'm Pretty and The Art of Suicide) and see what you think because reviews, much like anything else, are subjective.

For the sake of those who do not want to repeat buy, I am including a list a songs:
(1)Opheliac (2) Swallow (3) Liar (4) The Art of Suicide (5) I Want my Innocence Back (6) Misery Loves Company (7) God Help Me (8) Shalott (9) Gothic Lolita (10) Dead is the New Alive (11) I Know Where You Sleep (12) Let the Record Show (13) Dominant (14) 306 (15) Thank God I'm Pretty (16) Marry Me (17) Bach: Largo for Violin (18) Poem: How to Break a Heart (19) Poem: Ghost (20) Poem: At What Point Does a Shakespeare Say.

This is a fantastic album.

Emilie Autumn is one of the rising stars on the gothic music scene. Having released her first album, Enchant, in 2002, she disappeared for four years before reemerging with her opus, Opheliac. Combining grinding industrial beats with Victorian style melodies and instruments, EA brings a new perspective on a tired aesthetic. The whole album is a meditation on betrayal, anger, suicide, insanity, and a personal apocalypse. This is angry girl rock for the metal age.

The music on this album is top-notch; you can feel her classical training bursting through every note, and each song is full of lush violins and menacing harpsichord. Periodically her trademark metal violin makes an appearance, and adds nicely to the retro-futuristic feel of the album. Her vocals take a bit getting used to, but it is clear this is done for effect, as on some of the songs her voice sounds pretty (Marry Me, Swallow) and there's already proof of her nice voice with Enchant. Her lyrics are clever, with multiple layers of meaning, and melodramatic to the point of sarcasm (though, since the gothic genre is so melodramatic, it can be a bit hard to tell). Disc Two contains some spoken word poetry (taken from her poetry book, Your Sugar Sits Untouched, now discontinued), which is a lovely touch and shows her multiple talents.

I have only two quibbles with this whole album: for one, the screams on I Want My Innocence Back leave a little to be desired (the vocals on the EP have a much rawer sound to them, which adds to their power). The second is that, while her lyrics are clever, she tends towards repetition in the extreme (something which detracts a little from God Help Me). This is, however, a standout album and one necessary for your music collection (though I'd look elsewhere, as I have not seen such a high price for this album on other mail order sites).

Absoluetly amazing album. Many people are turned off simply because she "looks like a clown" but that most certainly doesn't change her sound. The music can move any listener no matter what their preferred genre is. The music is just something else. I Want My Innocence Back, Opheliac, Misery Loves Company, and Gothic Lolita are my personal favorites on this album and deserve a listen.

I found Emilie through Last.FM and the first album I bought was her classical/electronic violin album 'Laced-Unlaced.' After listening to her original compositions, and her own renditions of classics such as 'Largo' it was obvious she was a very well accomplished classical musician. So what did I expect of 'Opheliac'? Not this, that's for sure!

It turns out that this album is pretty dark, and has elements of... well, I don't know what of! All I know that this album is one hell of a ride. Gone are her violin instrumentals, in with her vocals which range from beautiful, to bizarre, to down right terrible. Terrible in a good way. It appears that she doesn't care much if she sounds good or not, rather, she just wants to get her point across. I should try to describe the sound to you. There is classical violin, acoustic violin, and electric violin, mixed in with heavy beats and electronic mixing. Any authentic sound is probably some form of a string instrument. She hasn't the best singing voice in the world, but it's hardly the point here, she can still sing okay, and she mostly sings straight, but she has some unique vocal techniques and interpretations too. Worth checking out. It's a dark but catchy album. I'm not gothic, or listen to gothic music (the odd WT or Nightwish, but nothing serious) and I'd normally run a mile from anything like this, but it works.

This album seems loosely based around the Victorian era and literature. Considering the connotations of the Victorian Era you get gothic like literature, murder of prostitutes, repressed women, darkness, industrialisation, etc. It's all here. How she conveys all in a sound I will never know, but as a Victorian Literature student, I think she pulls it all off amazingly well.

There are two discs. The first disc is consistently dark. It's about madness, suicide, murder, rape, anger, alienation, death, stalking and the like. The one exception to this is the light-hearted 'Swallow' where you'll be forgiven if you initially mistake it as an early 90's Madonna record. It's very oddly placed on this album, but you won't regret it being on here. 'The Art of Suicide' is another one. It's not that happy, but the music is a contrast to the lyrical content. I understand people may criticise her lyrics, and since they are about such extreme things, it's a little wonder, but I DO wonder if those people understand the point of what she was trying to do, or how much they know about the Victorian period. There wasn't a lot of happiness for the Victorians, especially when translated into history. I think the lyrics are fantastic. Some people may recognise the story (and title) of 'Shalott' which is a direct rip off of Alfred Lord Tennyson's poem 'The Lady of Shalott'. Considering it's my favourite poem of all time, I was wonderfully surprised to hear it, and her lyrical adaptation is altered very well to fit in nicely with the rest of the album.

The highlights of the first disc are definitely 'Opheliac' (Ophelia was a character in Shakespeare's 'Hamlet' and I think it basically means madness in this songs context), 'Swallow', 'Liar', 'I Want My Innocence Back', 'Misery Loves Company' and 'Let The Record Show'. For 'Opheliac', you will hear a song quite unlike you have ever heard before. It's repulsive yet appealing at the same time. She growls in the chorus, and I usually hate growls but it really works for that song. 'I Want My Innocence Back' is nothing short of terrifying, do not listen to alone in the dark. 'Let The Record Show' is sung from a point of view of a murdered prostitute. Although the content is dark, it's mega catchy. Her vocals on the verse is genius. The chorus is proper jumping if you have it up loud. Again, you wouldn't have heard anything like it.

Now for the second disc. There's not a lot here (three songs, two violin, three spoken poems). Put aside 'Largo' and the three poems, which are all okay, I suppose, but not a great listening experience, you have the genius of 'Dominant', '306', 'Thank God I'm Pretty' and the hilarious 'Marry Me'. 'Dominant' is easily the best track on this disc. It's an instrumental with the violin and electronic mixing, it sounds like it should be part of a dramatic film score. '306' carries on from where 'Dominant' left off, it's not as good though'. The next two songs are comical. 'Thank God I'm Pretty' is Emilie's sarcastic gratitude for being pretty, it's not laugh out loud, but will make you smirk. 'Marry Me' is absolutely brilliant. Not only does she sing really well in it, it's also hilarious, and is based on Victorian upper class marriage. I suggest you find the lyrics and read along with the song, as there are very funny moments it. It's light hearted as well and her vocals verge on operatic during the chorus.

The last thing I should mention about Emilie is that she does albums practically by herself. She doesn't have a team of songwriters, musicians, mixers and a production team she does it all herself. She writes, performs and produces everything. She is immensely talented, I hope she doesn't stay in the shadow of obscurity for too much longer even though I understand why she does. I doubt an album like this could ever be widely accepted by a mass audience.

If you want to hear something different, you must buy this album, and do so with an open mind.

First of all the tracklist:

1. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
2. Bohemian Rhapsody
3. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (Harpsichord Rendezvous)
4. Asleep (Live)
5. Mad Girl (Live)
6. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (Emilie Autumn Teatime Edit)
7. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (Inkydust Edit)
8. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (Asylum Edit)

Having seen Emilie perform "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" in concert in an amazing Asylum gone wild fashion, I can attest to how great this cover is. Emilie takes the song into the Asylum, infests it with her plague, adds double spoonfuls of sugar, and creates her own song out of this classic. "Bohemian Rhapsody" is even better coming from a woman's point of view (especially when that woman is Emilie Autumn). This song fits into her violin-dustrial world of maddened inmates, like a well tailored straight jacket. Although I haven't received my copy at this time of writing (it is on its way though, and eagerly await being infected with the plague once more as though it were my first Emilie album), I simply refuse to let someone say this is a bad cover, having gave it one star.

No, don't listen to them. If you want to hear Emilie's "Bohemian Rhapsody" go to her myspace page and listen for yourself. Emilie is multi-talented prodigy well skilled in violin, both classical and electric rock violin. She infuses her tunes with the harpsichord adding a very unique, and thoroughly enjoyable sound all her own. I can't wait to hear the remixes of "Girls..." and knowing what she sounds like live; I am not one bit disappointed by the inclusion of live tracks on this release. In the future I can only hope that Emilie release a DVD of her live in concert, as well as her long-awaited "The Asylum For Wayward Victorian Girls" and "The Alphabet Book of X-Boyfriends". I am with Emilie in whatever mad endeavors she comes out with next. I hope you discover her and get the plague with the rest of us who are already contaminated.

I think i have discovered what really killed Robert Hazard. I think if i had written a song that was butchered this way i would have died too.

Still riding on her success of Opheliac and its style, Emilie Autumn has now released an EP with two covers of the most distinctive songs ever recorded: Cyndi Lauper's `Girls Just Wanna Have Fun' and Queen's `Bohemian Rhapsody'.

Two very difficult songs to make your own and two very difficult songs to sell different versions of as the originals are so culturally and historically well-known. Autumn's attempt does not work with both songs.

This EP contains nine tracks. There are five versions of `Girls Just Want To Have Fun', one of `Bohemian Rhapsody', two live tracks from her recent tour and an extra exclusive recording. Veteran Autumn fans will recognise the format easily enough, but for new fans this EP may be a bit baffling.

Her rendition of `Girls Just Wanna Have Fun' stems from her impulse decision to perform it live on her tour, and it turned out to be so popular that it was in high demand for Autumn to record it. This is for good reason. Autumn's version of the classic is a triumph. It fits perfectly with her stage persona and attitude, and she has adapted it to her own unique style, which of course includes her second favourite instrument - the harpsichord. Unlike the original the electronics are at a minimum (just a drum machine for the beat) and some violin is thrown in for good measure. Her vocal delivery is as sarcastic and fun as ever. Probably one of her best recordings.

On the other end of the scale `Bohemian Rhapsody' is not so immediately convincing. The arrangement is the same as her other recordings, with her strings and her drum machine (and a welcome electric violin that replaces the guitar) but it remains difficult to accept the changes. The original is a full blown production that screams fullness and atmosphere. This version pales in comparison. It is clear, however, that she is not taking it completely seriously and her vocals verge on comic, but the song feels simply empty.

Fortunately, her `Girls Just Wanna Have Fun' dominates the EP with four remixes along with her original. The first remix takes out the drum machine and has only her harpsichord and vocals pull the song through. The second is almost opposite, emphasizing on the drum machine over the other instruments. The third takes it a step up and focuses on a heavier electronic percussion. The fourth remix has a more authentic rock band feel. Unlike Autumn's earlier remixes on other EPs, there is not much vocal manipulation in any of these remixes - they pretty much remain the same.

The live tracks are nothing special, and are an odd choice. One is an exclusive track called `Asleep' which acts as an introduction to the second live track `Mad Girl' that originally came from her Liar/Dead is the New Alive EP. The recorded version is superior - the live tracks only seem to perform the function of filling up the EP.

The last track is hidden and is not credited in the booklet or CD cover (the song was added at the last minute before production). It is an exclusive track called `Gentleman Aren't Nice'. It's a short narrative song with a simple harpsichord accompanying - its tone is quite cabaret/jazz.

The Limited Edition of this EP (still available at time of writing, though it will be re-released in a jewel case once it sells out) is in a digipak with a colourful, glossy booklet with photos of her from her tour. There are also two new photos from her Opheliac photoshoot in the fold out cover.

The full track list to this EP is as follows:

1. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
2. Bohemian Rhapsody
3. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (Harpsichord Rendezvous)
4. Asleep (Live)
5. Mad Girl (Live)
6. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (Teatime Remix by EA)
7. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (Asylum Remix by Inkydust)
8. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (Bad Girl Remix by The Fire)
9. Gentleman Aren't Nice

Like any of Autumn's EPs, this is not for beginners. For dedicated fans, the title track is a real treat, along with the remixes though they do not deviate from her original recording that much. The rest of the EP is a big let down, and whilst you can only admire Autumn's courage to tackle `Bohemian Rhapsody' and the vocals let you know it is not to be taken too seriously, it is still difficult not to feel a little bit uncomfortable with it.

When you come across Emilie Autumn fans, you may well find that many are divided. Many love THIS Emilie, the Emilie that they call the "Enchant Era" whilst others enjoy the "Victorindustrual" era. Bear in mind though, that there are not many people that enjoy the latter era and dislike 'Enchant'; it's a completely different type of music, but Emilie back then was still unique and this album provides us with music which is radically different to what she does now, but it's also different compared to anything other artist due to the albums eclectic material.

This album is not pigeonholed for an audience; when the album opens up with 'Prologue: Across The Sky' you will believe that you have stumbled into a fairy wonderland which sounds like a bizarre collaboration between Enigma and Enya but as the album continues you were treated to mild blues/jazz like Second Hand Faith, rocky-pop numbers like 'Chambermaid', pop/techno/violin songs like the catchy 'Juliet' and pretty haunting ballads like 'Epilogue: What If'. I'd say that if you don't like the jazzy sound, you may not like the majority of the album, but there are enough songs on it without the jazz to pull this through for you. The standout songs are 'Across The Sky', 'Chambermaid', 'Rapunzel' and 'What If'.

As to Emilie's performance - it is very different to her later CDs. None of this is rock or industrial really, she sings all the songs straight with her real voice (no growls). As to her violin playing it is highly played down on this album, but is obviously present in songs such as 'What If', 'Juliet' and 'Remember'. A lot of the album is electronic but a piano and violin can be heard pretty much throughout, even if not on the forefront. Unlike other albums, Emilie didn't do this album by herself so it's not purely her production wizardry and strong instrumental playing.

Enchant has reached cult and classic status because there is simply a song on here for everyone but is hard to obtain. It has been more or less impossible to get until August this year when it was released again in a special boxset for a limited amount only (3000 copies). This is the same product, and if you don't snap it up now you won't get the opportunity again for a very long time, possibly never. As it is, the boxset (if you can call it that) is quite pricey and you may not regard it being worth your money, as you can buy the album legally on download through her website for a quarter of the price. The packaging comes as a normal CD sized book with a thin card board sleeve that covers it. Inside you have several pages but there is not much artwork to be seen, and there are zero photos. There is only lyrics written by Emilie's own hand, but it is barely eligible, so if you want the lyrics you will still have to log on the net and find them that way, despite having them in your hand. The CD itself does not have any bonus songs or material. It is exactly as it was in its original release.

First of all the tracklist:

1. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
2. Bohemian Rhapsody
3. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (Harpsichord Rendezvous)
4. Asleep (Live)
5. Mad Girl (Live)
6. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (Emilie Autumn Teatime Edit)
7. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (Inkydust Edit)
8. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (Asylum Edit)

Having seen Emilie perform "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" in concert in an amazing Asylum gone wild fashion, I can attest to how great this cover is. Emilie takes the song into the Asylum, infests it with her plague, adds double spoonfuls of sugar, and creates her own song out of this classic. "Bohemian Rhapsody" is even better coming from a woman's point of view (especially when that woman is Emilie Autumn). This song fits into her violin-dustrial world of maddened inmates, like a well tailored straight jacket. Although I haven't received my copy at this time of writing (it is on its way though, and eagerly await being infected with the plague once more as though it were my first Emilie album), I simply refuse to let someone say this is a bad cover, having gave it one star.

No, don't listen to them. If you want to hear Emilie's "Bohemian Rhapsody" go to her myspace page and listen for yourself. Emilie is multi-talented prodigy well skilled in violin, both classical and electric rock violin. She infuses her tunes with the harpsichord adding a very unique, and thoroughly enjoyable sound all her own. I can't wait to hear the remixes of "Girls..." and knowing what she sounds like live; I am not one bit disappointed by the inclusion of live tracks on this release. In the future I can only hope that Emilie release a DVD of her live in concert, as well as her long-awaited "The Asylum For Wayward Victorian Girls" and "The Alphabet Book of X-Boyfriends". I am with Emilie in whatever mad endeavors she comes out with next. I hope you discover her and get the plague with the rest of us who are already contaminated.

I think i have discovered what really killed Robert Hazard. I think if i had written a song that was butchered this way i would have died too.

Still riding on her success of Opheliac and its style, Emilie Autumn has now released an EP with two covers of the most distinctive songs ever recorded: Cyndi Lauper's `Girls Just Wanna Have Fun' and Queen's `Bohemian Rhapsody'.

Two very difficult songs to make your own and two very difficult songs to sell different versions of as the originals are so culturally and historically well-known. Autumn's attempt does not work with both songs.

This EP contains nine tracks. There are five versions of `Girls Just Want To Have Fun', one of `Bohemian Rhapsody', two live tracks from her recent tour and an extra exclusive recording. Veteran Autumn fans will recognise the format easily enough, but for new fans this EP may be a bit baffling.

Her rendition of `Girls Just Wanna Have Fun' stems from her impulse decision to perform it live on her tour, and it turned out to be so popular that it was in high demand for Autumn to record it. This is for good reason. Autumn's version of the classic is a triumph. It fits perfectly with her stage persona and attitude, and she has adapted it to her own unique style, which of course includes her second favourite instrument - the harpsichord. Unlike the original the electronics are at a minimum (just a drum machine for the beat) and some violin is thrown in for good measure. Her vocal delivery is as sarcastic and fun as ever. Probably one of her best recordings.

On the other end of the scale `Bohemian Rhapsody' is not so immediately convincing. The arrangement is the same as her other recordings, with her strings and her drum machine (and a welcome electric violin that replaces the guitar) but it remains difficult to accept the changes. The original is a full blown production that screams fullness and atmosphere. This version pales in comparison. It is clear, however, that she is not taking it completely seriously and her vocals verge on comic, but the song feels simply empty.

Fortunately, her `Girls Just Wanna Have Fun' dominates the EP with four remixes along with her original. The first remix takes out the drum machine and has only her harpsichord and vocals pull the song through. The second is almost opposite, emphasizing on the drum machine over the other instruments. The third takes it a step up and focuses on a heavier electronic percussion. The fourth remix has a more authentic rock band feel. Unlike Autumn's earlier remixes on other EPs, there is not much vocal manipulation in any of these remixes - they pretty much remain the same.

The live tracks are nothing special, and are an odd choice. One is an exclusive track called `Asleep' which acts as an introduction to the second live track `Mad Girl' that originally came from her Liar/Dead is the New Alive EP. The recorded version is superior - the live tracks only seem to perform the function of filling up the EP.

The last track is hidden and is not credited in the booklet or CD cover (the song was added at the last minute before production). It is an exclusive track called `Gentleman Aren't Nice'. It's a short narrative song with a simple harpsichord accompanying - its tone is quite cabaret/jazz.

The Limited Edition of this EP (still available at time of writing, though it will be re-released in a jewel case once it sells out) is in a digipak with a colourful, glossy booklet with photos of her from her tour. There are also two new photos from her Opheliac photoshoot in the fold out cover.

The full track list to this EP is as follows:

1. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
2. Bohemian Rhapsody
3. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (Harpsichord Rendezvous)
4. Asleep (Live)
5. Mad Girl (Live)
6. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (Teatime Remix by EA)
7. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (Asylum Remix by Inkydust)
8. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (Bad Girl Remix by The Fire)
9. Gentleman Aren't Nice

Like any of Autumn's EPs, this is not for beginners. For dedicated fans, the title track is a real treat, along with the remixes though they do not deviate from her original recording that much. The rest of the EP is a big let down, and whilst you can only admire Autumn's courage to tackle `Bohemian Rhapsody' and the vocals let you know it is not to be taken too seriously, it is still difficult not to feel a little bit uncomfortable with it.

This is the second printing of this single ep... unlike the first which was a digipack, this one is in a cd case and contains 9 tracks instead of 8. If you're a fan, you know what to expect. If not, Emilie is a perfomer who does kinda electronic industrial with a violin and victorian kinda twist too it. sometimes very elegant and proper, sometimes angry and offensive. Definately different then 99% of the stuff out there. Her cds tend to have VERY low print runs, like 3000 and wind up fetching quiet a few bucks on the secondary market untill they re-release them, if they do... but each pressing is different, be it artwork, the cases, or the tracklisting. Contains excepts of emilie reading from her upcoming book (she's multimedia too) on two of the tracks.

As active as ever, Emilie releases yet more new material for her die-hard fans to rip their teeth into which is continuing down the 'Opheliac' path regarding style and genre.

Comparisons with her previous EP are inevitible, and this EP is the clear winner, for there are no 'repeats' (unless you put 'Organ Grinder' in that category, but this could only previously be found on the Saw III soundtrack) and this EP flows and makes more sense as a whole. Far more atmospheric than the Liar/Dead Is The New Alive EP. Generally speaking, this EP follows the exact format as its predecessor, giving us a few original tracks, some remixes from Opheliac and some random extras.

The main focus is the title track, which makes this whole EP worth buying, regardless if you like the other tracks or not. Emilie has consistently tried to make her sound essentially Victorian Gothic, or, in other words, to bring us to her Victorian Asylum; this song succeeds with honours. The lyrics work on two levels: the literal and metaphorical. Metaphorically it tackles insomnia, but literally it takes us back to the Victorian period and the situation that women endured in lunatic asylums. With its regular chimes, brooding harpsichord and thoughtful vocals, this quirky, gothic half-ballad treats us to a haunting listening experience.

'My Fairweather Friend' is somewhat of an echo of 'In The Lake' from the L/DITNA EP. It's a bit of a filler that would have suited her 'A Bit o' This & That' album. The upshot of this EP is the fewer remixes, but even so, these remixes are rather good, particularly the Filthy Victorian Mix of 'Swallow' (one of the firm favourite songs from 'Opheliac' of many fans). The 'Swallow' remixes rely heavily on the extroverted bass lines which gives them a refreshing boost. The remix of 'Gothic Lolita' is genuinely freaky. As the title of the remix suggests, less emphasis on music is displayed and is replaced with frightening sound effects with a little and faint violin playing throughout.

Many fans will be pleased to find 'Organ Grinder' on here, previously available, but hard to get hold of, nonetheless. For those unfamiliar with it, it is a fast paced electric violin piece in the same vein as the 'Unlaced' album.

The words from 'Asylum' is purely Emilie reading out excerpts from her upcoming book - a shameless plug (why not, on your own CD?) which people are not likely to appreciate. They are read out with the same production as her poetry from the 'Opheliac' album. Her acting voice can be a bit grating, and the sound effects and her leaning away from the mic can make actual listening very distracting.

There is a hidden track as track nine (it starts off sounding like it continues from the book reading, the song actually starts 40 seconds in). A cover of Alice Cooper's 'Is It My Body'. Performed with Harpsicord and electrical sounds and too quiet vocals, it can be quite entertaining, but there is a good reason that it is merely hidden and not advertised.

Here is the tracklisting:

1. 4 O'Clock
2. My Fairweather Friend
3. Gothic Lolita (Bad Poetry Mix)
4. Swallow (Filthy Victorian Mix)
5. Swallow (Oyster Mix)
6. Organ Grinder
7. Excerpts From "The Asylum"
8. Words from "The Asylum"
9. Is It My Body? (hidden track)

Overall, I would say this EP is well worth buying. The title track is excellent, and the remixes memorable. The book reading and the second track let this disc down a bit but it is a fine addition to an Emilie Autumn collection.

There are a lot of boring Gothic/Industrial albums out there, but Emilie Autumn's Opheliac shines brightly in a sea of monotony. This is a big step forward for her, since Enchant. Not saying Enchant wasn't a good album (it is) but there's tons more to offer here on Opheliac. The album opens up with an impressive title track, that wowed me the very first time i heard it. Swallow sets the foundations for an excellent record to follow... It's hard to find a track that doesn't give me some sort of aural pleasure. Between the raw angst and raspy vocals of "Liar", the wicked violin solos and satire of "Dead Is The New Alive", and the touchy subject matter of 'Gothic Lolita", there's almost nothing that doesn't impress me about this album, even after listening to it several times and noticing more subtle musical elements after each listen.
After picking the NEW, more affordable pressing of the jewel case version, I discovered some more treats on the expanded second disc. "Thank God I'm Pretty" almost should have been on the first disc with the rest of the album, but it didn't quite fit the theme, despite being an excellent track. The bonus content at the end is another, different kind of treat. Not only do you get an eavesdropping at the recording of Opheliac with the 'outtakes' segment, but you also get a glimpse into the mind of Emilie with her 'interview' which she talks about her favorite "non-frequently asked questions". There are also 4 video extras on the second disc when you put it in your computer.
Overall, this is an EXCELLENT buy. Worth more than what i paid for it (There are other online retailers that have sold it for $25+, and i almost considered buying it from them before this edition came out). And best of all, if you don't want to spend the money for next-day shipping on Amazon, you can pick it up at your local Hot Topic store!

When I first listened to Emilie Autumn, I dismissed it without too much thought because of genre labeling. Lately this has become a real problem, too, (the act of labeling, I mean, and not my dismissal of albums) with more and more things wearing a "goth" or "alternative" tag around their thin plastic necks. Upon rediscovering her I found this out and realized that I made a momentous mistake (and apologized to the music Gods), and I also realized that I had unconsciously let a label like "goth" steer me away from a great voice with songs that range from interestingly bleak to poignantly descriptive.
How crushing.

With this album, there is a noticable increase in sound quality and I appreciated that. Earlier albums had been faulted - rightly so - for their inability to transfer what Autumn sounds like fully, and I always felt like I was missing something. On Opheliac, everything plays and plays well. Not only dones Autumn sound great, but she breaks the conventional mode in the ways she is known for and the contrast she develops works out well. She plays an odd array of instrumentation to craft just the right feel for a ballad, puts poetry on the album just because the poems are really worth noting, and she takes time and makes social comments about things like suicide and looks. She also offers a great deal of work on this album --- when you find yourself wanting another song, you are rewarded with the fact that you have a double-sided helping of hearth and not just a few tunes.

As far as the album goes, quite a few songs are worth mentioning. Her combination of Bach and Autumn in Bach: Largo for Violin are enticing (and, if you like that, you should look up her album that is a manifesto to this type of talent), her reasoning for not going on living in a world that doesn't appreciate the living in The Art of Suicide is well-played and well-versed, and her commentary on what it means to be "pretty" in Thank God I'm Pretty hits so many pros and cons that it makes one laugh and nod at the way she mocks it all. The poems are great as well, the up-tempo songs make one like to listen, and the wonders go on and on.
I HIGHLY recommend this album to those that enjoy the label, that enjoy the Emilie Autumn, or that simply want a singer with a bleak side and momentum. If you have any doubts, look around and find a sample of one of the tunes (I like Thank God I'm Pretty and The Art of Suicide) and see what you think because reviews, much like anything else, are subjective.

For the sake of those who do not want to repeat buy, I am including a list a songs:
(1)Opheliac (2) Swallow (3) Liar (4) The Art of Suicide (5) I Want my Innocence Back (6) Misery Loves Company (7) God Help Me (8) Shalott (9) Gothic Lolita (10) Dead is the New Alive (11) I Know Where You Sleep (12) Let the Record Show (13) Dominant (14) 306 (15) Thank God I'm Pretty (16) Marry Me (17) Bach: Largo for Violin (18) Poem: How to Break a Heart (19) Poem: Ghost (20) Poem: At What Point Does a Shakespeare Say.

This is a fantastic album.

Emilie Autumn is one of the rising stars on the gothic music scene. Having released her first album, Enchant, in 2002, she disappeared for four years before reemerging with her opus, Opheliac. Combining grinding industrial beats with Victorian style melodies and instruments, EA brings a new perspective on a tired aesthetic. The whole album is a meditation on betrayal, anger, suicide, insanity, and a personal apocalypse. This is angry girl rock for the metal age.

The music on this album is top-notch; you can feel her classical training bursting through every note, and each song is full of lush violins and menacing harpsichord. Periodically her trademark metal violin makes an appearance, and adds nicely to the retro-futuristic feel of the album. Her vocals take a bit getting used to, but it is clear this is done for effect, as on some of the songs her voice sounds pretty (Marry Me, Swallow) and there's already proof of her nice voice with Enchant. Her lyrics are clever, with multiple layers of meaning, and melodramatic to the point of sarcasm (though, since the gothic genre is so melodramatic, it can be a bit hard to tell). Disc Two contains some spoken word poetry (taken from her poetry book, Your Sugar Sits Untouched, now discontinued), which is a lovely touch and shows her multiple talents.

I have only two quibbles with this whole album: for one, the screams on I Want My Innocence Back leave a little to be desired (the vocals on the EP have a much rawer sound to them, which adds to their power). The second is that, while her lyrics are clever, she tends towards repetition in the extreme (something which detracts a little from God Help Me). This is, however, a standout album and one necessary for your music collection (though I'd look elsewhere, as I have not seen such a high price for this album on other mail order sites).

Absoluetly amazing album. Many people are turned off simply because she "looks like a clown" but that most certainly doesn't change her sound. The music can move any listener no matter what their preferred genre is. The music is just something else. I Want My Innocence Back, Opheliac, Misery Loves Company, and Gothic Lolita are my personal favorites on this album and deserve a listen.

I found Emilie through Last.FM and the first album I bought was her classical/electronic violin album 'Laced-Unlaced.' After listening to her original compositions, and her own renditions of classics such as 'Largo' it was obvious she was a very well accomplished classical musician. So what did I expect of 'Opheliac'? Not this, that's for sure!

It turns out that this album is pretty dark, and has elements of... well, I don't know what of! All I know that this album is one hell of a ride. Gone are her violin instrumentals, in with her vocals which range from beautiful, to bizarre, to down right terrible. Terrible in a good way. It appears that she doesn't care much if she sounds good or not, rather, she just wants to get her point across. I should try to describe the sound to you. There is classical violin, acoustic violin, and electric violin, mixed in with heavy beats and electronic mixing. Any authentic sound is probably some form of a string instrument. She hasn't the best singing voice in the world, but it's hardly the point here, she can still sing okay, and she mostly sings straight, but she has some unique vocal techniques and interpretations too. Worth checking out. It's a dark but catchy album. I'm not gothic, or listen to gothic music (the odd WT or Nightwish, but nothing serious) and I'd normally run a mile from anything like this, but it works.

This album seems loosely based around the Victorian era and literature. Considering the connotations of the Victorian Era you get gothic like literature, murder of prostitutes, repressed women, darkness, industrialisation, etc. It's all here. How she conveys all in a sound I will never know, but as a Victorian Literature student, I think she pulls it all off amazingly well.

There are two discs. The first disc is consistently dark. It's about madness, suicide, murder, rape, anger, alienation, death, stalking and the like. The one exception to this is the light-hearted 'Swallow' where you'll be forgiven if you initially mistake it as an early 90's Madonna record. It's very oddly placed on this album, but you won't regret it being on here. 'The Art of Suicide' is another one. It's not that happy, but the music is a contrast to the lyrical content. I understand people may criticise her lyrics, and since they are about such extreme things, it's a little wonder, but I DO wonder if those people understand the point of what she was trying to do, or how much they know about the Victorian period. There wasn't a lot of happiness for the Victorians, especially when translated into history. I think the lyrics are fantastic. Some people may recognise the story (and title) of 'Shalott' which is a direct rip off of Alfred Lord Tennyson's poem 'The Lady of Shalott'. Considering it's my favourite poem of all time, I was wonderfully surprised to hear it, and her lyrical adaptation is altered very well to fit in nicely with the rest of the album.

The highlights of the first disc are definitely 'Opheliac' (Ophelia was a character in Shakespeare's 'Hamlet' and I think it basically means madness in this songs context), 'Swallow', 'Liar', 'I Want My Innocence Back', 'Misery Loves Company' and 'Let The Record Show'. For 'Opheliac', you will hear a song quite unlike you have ever heard before. It's repulsive yet appealing at the same time. She growls in the chorus, and I usually hate growls but it really works for that song. 'I Want My Innocence Back' is nothing short of terrifying, do not listen to alone in the dark. 'Let The Record Show' is sung from a point of view of a murdered prostitute. Although the content is dark, it's mega catchy. Her vocals on the verse is genius. The chorus is proper jumping if you have it up loud. Again, you wouldn't have heard anything like it.

Now for the second disc. There's not a lot here (three songs, two violin, three spoken poems). Put aside 'Largo' and the three poems, which are all okay, I suppose, but not a great listening experience, you have the genius of 'Dominant', '306', 'Thank God I'm Pretty' and the hilarious 'Marry Me'. 'Dominant' is easily the best track on this disc. It's an instrumental with the violin and electronic mixing, it sounds like it should be part of a dramatic film score. '306' carries on from where 'Dominant' left off, it's not as good though'. The next two songs are comical. 'Thank God I'm Pretty' is Emilie's sarcastic gratitude for being pretty, it's not laugh out loud, but will make you smirk. 'Marry Me' is absolutely brilliant. Not only does she sing really well in it, it's also hilarious, and is based on Victorian upper class marriage. I suggest you find the lyrics and read along with the song, as there are very funny moments it. It's light hearted as well and her vocals verge on operatic during the chorus.

The last thing I should mention about Emilie is that she does albums practically by herself. She doesn't have a team of songwriters, musicians, mixers and a production team she does it all herself. She writes, performs and produces everything. She is immensely talented, I hope she doesn't stay in the shadow of obscurity for too much longer even though I understand why she does. I doubt an album like this could ever be widely accepted by a mass audience.

If you want to hear something different, you must buy this album, and do so with an open mind.

This was the last CD I purchased from Emilie Autumn as the two songs were not the most special ones from the album 'Opheliac'. Due to the extra tracks, though, I gave it a go, expecting the same quality that came with the second disc of 'Opheliac'. This is probably her weakest release. Remixes are never great at the best of times but these remixes are really rather good, especially the Manic Depressive Remix of Liar, which is possibly better than the original.

There are four original tracks not found on other albums - they are not of the quality you found on the second disc of 'Opheliac'. 'Mad Girl' is quite nice, and probably the best track on the album, it has a similar tempo to 'Thank God I'm Pretty' and the same kind of style, though 'Mad Girl' is less tongue in cheek. 'Best Safety Lies In Fear' is like a part two of '306'. It's mostly a jumping record of somebody saying 'If he says he loves you' and 'Best safety lies in fear' with a brooding background. 'In The Lake' and 'Let It Die' are live recordings and the production isn't great. They are of low quality in general, the first is repetitive to the point of irritation about a girl that has been buried behind someone's else in a lake. Typical Emilie topic, but not typical production wizardry, it being down to just her voice and one instrument (either acoustic guitar or Mandolin). 'Let It Die' sounds a lot like the other live performance.

Also on this disc is a preview to Emilie's latest album (which is out now) - an electric violin instrumental called 'Unlaced' which used to be a primary reason to get this EP, but now that the other album is being released this EP may not be worth it. Do you remember 'Thank God I'm Pretty' from disc two of 'Opheliac'? She has put a cover version of it on here from an artist called 'Spiritual Front'. If that means something to you, great, if not, it sounds like the song is being sung by Leonard Cohen. The version is quite interesting, but lacks the humour and irony that Emilie provided.

Bearing in mind, this EP has only four tracks you will find nowhere else, it is questionable if you should invest your money in this. There is not much to take from this album but to complete a fans collection. I think this EP is more for the die-hard fans. Try to hear some previews before committing to this.

After discovering Emilie on myspace I tracked down Ophiliac and gave it a listen. I couldn't have been more impressed. I am a long time fan of the female classical/goth movement. I grew up with Switchblade Symphony and Rasputina so it was inevitable that EA would cross my path. EA has a wide range vocally and emotionally that come through quite well in Ophiliac. It took some doing but I tracked down the rest of her works on Projek records site and picked up every CD she has made. It has proven interesting seeing such a diverse range of types music. I am defiantly happy with this find.

This album is exactly what it says it is. Not a complete album in the ordinary sense, but a collection of b-sides, remixes, live recordings, and random things she recorded on a whim on a kitchen floor. Many of the songs are low quality due to the way they were recorded (not in a recording studio, put it that way). There are no songs here in the 'Opheliac' style.

Many songs sound like cut songs from 'Enchant' and there are two remixes from the 'Enchant' album. She has done a universally terrible remix of Chambermaid (something she confirms in the notes herself) which sounds like a complete mess, and it opens the album. The second song and the second remix is a rather sweeter version than the original 'What If' with a celtic edge and it appears to be a different vocal performance. 'Hollow Like My Soul' and 'I Don't Care Much' are jazzy reject songs from Enchant. 'I Know It's Over', 'All My Loving' (a Beatles cover) and 'With Every Passing Day' all have very poor recording quality.

Elsewhere we have the comical rendition of 'The Star Sprangled Banner' which she attempts to sing in her unique way. It's funny, but also a bit cringe worthy. In the notes she said she recorded it to show people that it was a bad idea to ask her to sing the anthem live. There are two live violin recordings of 'Sonata in D Minor' and 'Ancient Grounds'. There is a harpsichord instrumental of the classic 'Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life'. The song which would probably make most people want to buy this album is the single she released in 2001 which is randomly squeezed in called 'By The Sword' which is a poppy, rocky kind of song with a punch. For me, however, there are only two songs on here that are worth listening to, and that's the ballad 'Find Me A Man' and the Shakespeare inspired 'O Mistress Mine' which is a song that was originally going to be on a Shakespeare album she was working on, but scraped. Lastly, there is the song 'Miss Lucy Had Some Leeches' which is three songs, the first being an acapella of a children's playground game (like 'Oranges and Lemons' for example), a second song comes on which is short and sweet, and the third song has no music, just some very eerie/fightening noises. Her vocals are tampered with and layered.

The packaging is exactly the same as the Enchant packaging that has been released along with this. It comes as a normal CD sized book with a thin card board sleeve that covers it. Inside you have several pages without photos and artwork, just Emilie penning notes on each song as to why she recorded it and what she thinks of it, which is a cute addition to it all.

As one can expect with such albums, it doesn't carry much substance but there is the odd song that is worth listening to. Over all, I think this is a CD that only die-hard fans should buy. Casual buyers will not find much to appreciate here, and even avid fans may find it difficult to appreciate too.

Here is the tracklisting in its entirety:

1. Chambermaid (Space Mix)
2. What If (Celtic Mix)
3. Hollow Like My Soul
4. By The Sword
5. I Don't Care Much
6. I Know It's Over
7. Find Me A Man
8. O Mistress Mine
9. The Star Sprangled Banner
10. All My Loving
11. Sonata in D Minor
12. Ancient Grounds
13. Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life
14. With Every Passing Day
15. Miss Lucy Had Some Leeches

There are a lot of boring Gothic/Industrial albums out there, but Emilie Autumn's Opheliac shines brightly in a sea of monotony. This is a big step forward for her, since Enchant. Not saying Enchant wasn't a good album (it is) but there's tons more to offer here on Opheliac. The album opens up with an impressive title track, that wowed me the very first time i heard it. Swallow sets the foundations for an excellent record to follow... It's hard to find a track that doesn't give me some sort of aural pleasure. Between the raw angst and raspy vocals of "Liar", the wicked violin solos and satire of "Dead Is The New Alive", and the touchy subject matter of 'Gothic Lolita", there's almost nothing that doesn't impress me about this album, even after listening to it several times and noticing more subtle musical elements after each listen.
After picking the NEW, more affordable pressing of the jewel case version, I discovered some more treats on the expanded second disc. "Thank God I'm Pretty" almost should have been on the first disc with the rest of the album, but it didn't quite fit the theme, despite being an excellent track. The bonus content at the end is another, different kind of treat. Not only do you get an eavesdropping at the recording of Opheliac with the 'outtakes' segment, but you also get a glimpse into the mind of Emilie with her 'interview' which she talks about her favorite "non-frequently asked questions". There are also 4 video extras on the second disc when you put it in your computer.
Overall, this is an EXCELLENT buy. Worth more than what i paid for it (There are other online retailers that have sold it for $25+, and i almost considered buying it from them before this edition came out). And best of all, if you don't want to spend the money for next-day shipping on Amazon, you can pick it up at your local Hot Topic store!

When I first listened to Emilie Autumn, I dismissed it without too much thought because of genre labeling. Lately this has become a real problem, too, (the act of labeling, I mean, and not my dismissal of albums) with more and more things wearing a "goth" or "alternative" tag around their thin plastic necks. Upon rediscovering her I found this out and realized that I made a momentous mistake (and apologized to the music Gods), and I also realized that I had unconsciously let a label like "goth" steer me away from a great voice with songs that range from interestingly bleak to poignantly descriptive.
How crushing.

With this album, there is a noticable increase in sound quality and I appreciated that. Earlier albums had been faulted - rightly so - for their inability to transfer what Autumn sounds like fully, and I always felt like I was missing something. On Opheliac, everything plays and plays well. Not only dones Autumn sound great, but she breaks the conventional mode in the ways she is known for and the contrast she develops works out well. She plays an odd array of instrumentation to craft just the right feel for a ballad, puts poetry on the album just because the poems are really worth noting, and she takes time and makes social comments about things like suicide and looks. She also offers a great deal of work on this album --- when you find yourself wanting another song, you are rewarded with the fact that you have a double-sided helping of hearth and not just a few tunes.

As far as the album goes, quite a few songs are worth mentioning. Her combination of Bach and Autumn in Bach: Largo for Violin are enticing (and, if you like that, you should look up her album that is a manifesto to this type of talent), her reasoning for not going on living in a world that doesn't appreciate the living in The Art of Suicide is well-played and well-versed, and her commentary on what it means to be "pretty" in Thank God I'm Pretty hits so many pros and cons that it makes one laugh and nod at the way she mocks it all. The poems are great as well, the up-tempo songs make one like to listen, and the wonders go on and on.
I HIGHLY recommend this album to those that enjoy the label, that enjoy the Emilie Autumn, or that simply want a singer with a bleak side and momentum. If you have any doubts, look around and find a sample of one of the tunes (I like Thank God I'm Pretty and The Art of Suicide) and see what you think because reviews, much like anything else, are subjective.

For the sake of those who do not want to repeat buy, I am including a list a songs:
(1)Opheliac (2) Swallow (3) Liar (4) The Art of Suicide (5) I Want my Innocence Back (6) Misery Loves Company (7) God Help Me (8) Shalott (9) Gothic Lolita (10) Dead is the New Alive (11) I Know Where You Sleep (12) Let the Record Show (13) Dominant (14) 306 (15) Thank God I'm Pretty (16) Marry Me (17) Bach: Largo for Violin (18) Poem: How to Break a Heart (19) Poem: Ghost (20) Poem: At What Point Does a Shakespeare Say.

This is a fantastic album.

Emilie Autumn is one of the rising stars on the gothic music scene. Having released her first album, Enchant, in 2002, she disappeared for four years before reemerging with her opus, Opheliac. Combining grinding industrial beats with Victorian style melodies and instruments, EA brings a new perspective on a tired aesthetic. The whole album is a meditation on betrayal, anger, suicide, insanity, and a personal apocalypse. This is angry girl rock for the metal age.

The music on this album is top-notch; you can feel her classical training bursting through every note, and each song is full of lush violins and menacing harpsichord. Periodically her trademark metal violin makes an appearance, and adds nicely to the retro-futuristic feel of the album. Her vocals take a bit getting used to, but it is clear this is done for effect, as on some of the songs her voice sounds pretty (Marry Me, Swallow) and there's already proof of her nice voice with Enchant. Her lyrics are clever, with multiple layers of meaning, and melodramatic to the point of sarcasm (though, since the gothic genre is so melodramatic, it can be a bit hard to tell). Disc Two contains some spoken word poetry (taken from her poetry book, Your Sugar Sits Untouched, now discontinued), which is a lovely touch and shows her multiple talents.

I have only two quibbles with this whole album: for one, the screams on I Want My Innocence Back leave a little to be desired (the vocals on the EP have a much rawer sound to them, which adds to their power). The second is that, while her lyrics are clever, she tends towards repetition in the extreme (something which detracts a little from God Help Me). This is, however, a standout album and one necessary for your music collection (though I'd look elsewhere, as I have not seen such a high price for this album on other mail order sites).

Absoluetly amazing album. Many people are turned off simply because she "looks like a clown" but that most certainly doesn't change her sound. The music can move any listener no matter what their preferred genre is. The music is just something else. I Want My Innocence Back, Opheliac, Misery Loves Company, and Gothic Lolita are my personal favorites on this album and deserve a listen.

I found Emilie through Last.FM and the first album I bought was her classical/electronic violin album 'Laced-Unlaced.' After listening to her original compositions, and her own renditions of classics such as 'Largo' it was obvious she was a very well accomplished classical musician. So what did I expect of 'Opheliac'? Not this, that's for sure!

It turns out that this album is pretty dark, and has elements of... well, I don't know what of! All I know that this album is one hell of a ride. Gone are her violin instrumentals, in with her vocals which range from beautiful, to bizarre, to down right terrible. Terrible in a good way. It appears that she doesn't care much if she sounds good or not, rather, she just wants to get her point across. I should try to describe the sound to you. There is classical violin, acoustic violin, and electric violin, mixed in with heavy beats and electronic mixing. Any authentic sound is probably some form of a string instrument. She hasn't the best singing voice in the world, but it's hardly the point here, she can still sing okay, and she mostly sings straight, but she has some unique vocal techniques and interpretations too. Worth checking out. It's a dark but catchy album. I'm not gothic, or listen to gothic music (the odd WT or Nightwish, but nothing serious) and I'd normally run a mile from anything like this, but it works.

This album seems loosely based around the Victorian era and literature. Considering the connotations of the Victorian Era you get gothic like literature, murder of prostitutes, repressed women, darkness, industrialisation, etc. It's all here. How she conveys all in a sound I will never know, but as a Victorian Literature student, I think she pulls it all off amazingly well.

There are two discs. The first disc is consistently dark. It's about madness, suicide, murder, rape, anger, alienation, death, stalking and the like. The one exception to this is the light-hearted 'Swallow' where you'll be forgiven if you initially mistake it as an early 90's Madonna record. It's very oddly placed on this album, but you won't regret it being on here. 'The Art of Suicide' is another one. It's not that happy, but the music is a contrast to the lyrical content. I understand people may criticise her lyrics, and since they are about such extreme things, it's a little wonder, but I DO wonder if those people understand the point of what she was trying to do, or how much they know about the Victorian period. There wasn't a lot of happiness for the Victorians, especially when translated into history. I think the lyrics are fantastic. Some people may recognise the story (and title) of 'Shalott' which is a direct rip off of Alfred Lord Tennyson's poem 'The Lady of Shalott'. Considering it's my favourite poem of all time, I was wonderfully surprised to hear it, and her lyrical adaptation is altered very well to fit in nicely with the rest of the album.

The highlights of the first disc are definitely 'Opheliac' (Ophelia was a character in Shakespeare's 'Hamlet' and I think it basically means madness in this songs context), 'Swallow', 'Liar', 'I Want My Innocence Back', 'Misery Loves Company' and 'Let The Record Show'. For 'Opheliac', you will hear a song quite unlike you have ever heard before. It's repulsive yet appealing at the same time. She growls in the chorus, and I usually hate growls but it really works for that song. 'I Want My Innocence Back' is nothing short of terrifying, do not listen to alone in the dark. 'Let The Record Show' is sung from a point of view of a murdered prostitute. Although the content is dark, it's mega catchy. Her vocals on the verse is genius. The chorus is proper jumping if you have it up loud. Again, you wouldn't have heard anything like it.

Now for the second disc. There's not a lot here (three songs, two violin, three spoken poems). Put aside 'Largo' and the three poems, which are all okay, I suppose, but not a great listening experience, you have the genius of 'Dominant', '306', 'Thank God I'm Pretty' and the hilarious 'Marry Me'. 'Dominant' is easily the best track on this disc. It's an instrumental with the violin and electronic mixing, it sounds like it should be part of a dramatic film score. '306' carries on from where 'Dominant' left off, it's not as good though'. The next two songs are comical. 'Thank God I'm Pretty' is Emilie's sarcastic gratitude for being pretty, it's not laugh out loud, but will make you smirk. 'Marry Me' is absolutely brilliant. Not only does she sing really well in it, it's also hilarious, and is based on Victorian upper class marriage. I suggest you find the lyrics and read along with the song, as there are very funny moments it. It's light hearted as well and her vocals verge on operatic during the chorus.

The last thing I should mention about Emilie is that she does albums practically by herself. She doesn't have a team of songwriters, musicians, mixers and a production team she does it all herself. She writes, performs and produces everything. She is immensely talented, I hope she doesn't stay in the shadow of obscurity for too much longer even though I understand why she does. I doubt an album like this could ever be widely accepted by a mass audience.

If you want to hear something different, you must buy this album, and do so with an open mind.