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MIRANDA SEX GARDEN

MIRANDA SEX GARDEN transcend the classical, folk and rock idioms to produce a sound which moves from convention through sensuality to mystic weirdness. This style reflects MSG's progression from being three girls sweetly singing madrigals to a rather more aggressive Indie rock band.

Madra (1991 CD STUMM91) featured Jocelyn West, Kelly McCusker and Katharine Blake singing 17th Century madrigals, a perfectly serious exercise in early music following on from their education at the Purcell School of Music and their discovery while busking in the Portobello Road. The bewitching Katharine Blake, who founded the group, remains its linchpin and is responsible for most of its lyrics and basic melodies.

The mini-CD Iris (1992 CD STUMM97) marked MSG's foray into gothic rock. It followed the departure of Jocelyn West and the arrival of Donna McKevitt (vocals, viola), Ben Golomstock (guitars, organ, bass vocals) and Trevor Sharpe (drums, percussion, bass). The first track is the English folk song 'Lovely Joan' (used by Vaughan Williams in the middle of his Fantasia on Greensleeves). It begins as a plaintive harmony but gathers speed and demonic power until it climaxes in a crescendo of almost shouted lyrics. The other numbers exploit the groups now fuller, noisier sound.

The same line-up produced Suspiria (1993 CD STUMM112), which takes its name from the Italian horror film by Dario Argento which is about a witches' coven. The intro would certainly do justice to any horror film, while the second track, 'Ardera Sempre' (Always Burning) gives release to the full range of Donna McKevitt's various dramatic singing styles.

By Fairytales Of Slavery (1994 CD STUMM 129) the group had lost Kelly McCusker but were joined on much of the album by Hepzibah Sessa and Kim Fahey. Fairytales of Slavery concerns the 'red light zone', and begins with a very powerful and busy opening number.

Miranda Sex Garden were with Mute Records, 429 Harrow Road, London W10 4RE, which issued all of the above CDs. Despite being dropped by that label earlier this year (1996), since when they have maintained a very low profile, they are apparently still in existence.

Rik - 10 May 1996

MIRANDA SEX GARDEN http://www.miranda-sex-garden.com
FOREVER BURNING (MSG FAN SITE) http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Street/6392/miranda.html

MEDIAEVAL BAEBES
http://www.mediaevalbaebes.com