PRESENCE - "Inside"

Janko · September 23, 2006, 05:09:25

PRESENCE

"Inside"Â
1993

Gary biddles - Vocals

Laurence Tolhurst - Keyboards

Chris Youdell - Keyboards

Alan Burgess - Drums

Roberto Suave - Bass

Produced by Presence. Engineered by Jim Russel.Assissted by Alex Byrd. Recorded at Livehouse

Also, I think Michael Dempsey played one song.

1) NEVERÂ
What a opener! I see why it was a single. The song has a potential and it is catchy. Sound is also beautiful - its BIG! If there wasnt Lol's gothic keyboard - the song could pass as a U2 tune any time. First time I listened to this album - that was the first thing I heard - U2 influence.

2) FRAGMENTS
Superb guitar, kind like Porl's and Bob's work on KMKMKM. Thats another reference - this album is very similar to 1987 Cure album. It has that sound and that production - but doesnt have THAT pop sensibility (No 'Hot Hot Hot' here! Which is good).

3) ACT OF FAITH
What a song, starts with some great keyboards and goes onto piano verses with fabulous and anthemic chorus. Very U2-esque at chorus and very rocking on verses. This song was their third single and if it had more radioplay - it would stick in every ear that heard it! What a song!

4) ON OCEAN HILL
Beautiful song, anmospheric and gentle - but very catchy chorus. Nice keyboards make great backbone to fabulous six string bass and guitar interplay. This is most Curish song here. It sounds totally like LOST WISHES songs (but with vocals ofcourse, and what a vocals!!!). It will definitelly make you humm "I'm home again..." after you hear the song...

5) REVOLVE
Hardest song on album. Gary shows a different vocal style and it doesnt fit him too good. I cant really loose the feeling that this one is a filler, but I guess they had to make some heavyer tracks back then when you had LA Hair metal bands to compete... Othervise, great guitar solo.

6) HIGHEST PEAK
This song is humungus! It has heavy goth keyboards (like organ) and noisy guitar. Bass reminds me ofÂ Craig Adams's work with The Sisters Of Mercy. This song is Gothic. Gary sings like all those first generation gothic singers, it sounds OK but it was really late for that kind of stuff in 1991... Whatever, the song itself is good - but it is a filler, just to close the A side.

7) PAUSE
Best song on an album opens the B side. Its back to Cure waters here. This song is 100% inspired by 'Head On The Door' and "Sinking". Great, great keyboards+piano on verses, six string bass+regular bass interplay, massive chorus. Beautiful lyrics. Oh, man this song is so great that it almost made me cry! Really! Makes you wander - how much did Laurence loose when he went to binge his life away... "Life is lived inside the dream I just dont know how to sayÂ I wish I could control it all We will never watch the dawn break"

8)RAINDOWN
This song is kinda gothic in verses but evolves into a pop chorus. Heavy guitar rocking over a gentle keyboards and piano. Has that THE SISTERS OF MERCY bass vs. machine feeling. I like the song more and more - this is one of those you dont like at first but end up liking it most...

9) MISSING
Oh, this is a beauty. Another classic keyboard+rocking guitar on verses with an anthemic chorus made both for catching airplay and heating the crowd live... I just love this song becouse I think it represents THE formula they wanted to establish as the PRESENCE sound. What happened with love songs like this?!Â

10) IN WONDER
The first single. MICHAEL DEMPSEY played here. The song itself doesnt pull my strings, so I dont know why they picked this one. I reckon that this is the first one they wrote and maybe they had to put something out... Altogether - the song is just made for airplay in 1991, has that huge late 80'sÂ production and it gets under your skin very easy...

11) ALL I SEE
Second single. The song has great atmosphere and beautiful piano. Noisy guitar parts and programmed bass parts. The song instantly goes under the skin and stays there with chorus "So come with me You will see Close your eyes and count to three I'll kiss your lips eagerly Cause all I want is all I see"

12) INSIDE
Laid back song that closes the album. Bass kinda sounds like Simon's work. Lol's keyboards create a nice atmosphere that makes Gary's vocals really fabulous. Then - the noisy guitar andÂ heavy bass introduce the chorus that just... soars! Perfect closer that would made you want more from this guys. It's just sad they didnt go on... Becouse this song makes me just jump and play the CD again!

___________________________________

So there you have it. Laurence was kicked out from THE CURE in 1988 but in 1991 he resurfaced with these guys as PRESENCE. The band had a few gigs (one with Robert in audience), four singles, one full album, and about 17 songs. I dont know why they broke up, but they eventually did in mid 90's. Altogether its a shame becouse this album shows that they had both quality and radiofrendly tunes. It *should* be appealing to gothic crowd and cure crowd and 'normal' crowd, so I'm left in wonder... I guess life can be cruel sometimes... Or they just didnt have patience to go through club gigs and wan transportation again (they were in their 30's at the time I guess) as all begginer bands start... Whatever - PRESENCE was a great band and it's a shame thay never made it. hell, I feel reallu, really BAD for the fact I discovered them just now (after being a Curefan for 10 years)...

GET IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Joe · September 28, 2006, 22:44:40

I wasn't aware they released a full album. Interesting.

closedown · September 29, 2006, 20:33:32

to me the album is really underrated. still nice to listen to these days, much Cure influence of course, a shame due to all the hassle around Lol it never got the attention it deserved.

boneheadhaggar · October 01, 2006, 19:15:53

great album, but I'm sure it was Porl Thompson and not Michael Dempsey who appeared on a track

Joe · October 02, 2006, 16:24:44

Any idea what Dempsey is up to these days?

boneheadhaggar · October 02, 2006, 17:12:55

no idea, but it was definately Porl who played on In Wonder

Curetastraphy · October 03, 2006, 02:06:12

Does anybody know where to find this cd?

Thanks

lostflower4 · October 03, 2006, 06:40:23

Quote from: Curetastraphy on October 03, 2006, 02:06:12
Does anybody know where to find this cd?

eBay?

crowbi_wan · October 03, 2006, 07:44:04

Amazon has used copies going for a penny

Now that's a bargain.

lostflower4 · October 03, 2006, 08:14:47

Quote from: crowbi_wan on October 03, 2006, 07:44:04
Amazon has used copies going for a penny Now that's a bargain.

Wow... The insults never stop for Lol, do they?