Released 24 October 1994 Length 67:56 Artist Dead Can Dance Label 4AD | Recorded November 1993 Toward the Within
(1994) Spiritchaser
(1996) Release date 24 October 1994 | |
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Genres Rock music, World music, Gothic rock, Neoclassical dark wave Producers Brendan Perry, Lisa Gerrard Similar Within the Realm of a Dying Sun, Into the Labyrinth, The Serpent's Egg, Spiritchaser, Spleen and Ideal | ||
Dead can dance rakim
Toward the Within (1994) is the first official live album of Brendan Perry and Lisa Gerrard's group Dead Can Dance. It contains 15 songs, of which only four appeared on their previous albums, and two of which were later re-recorded and included on Lisa Gerrard's first solo album, The Mirror Pool. The others previously existed only in live performances and unofficial bootlegs, but were not officially released until Toward the Within. Along with Perry and Gerrard were a number of musicians who had performed with them on other occasions.
Contents
Overview
Toward the Within was recorded in one take in November 1993 at the Mayfair Theatre in Santa Monica, California and was released by 4AD as an album and a video (VHS and LaserDisc) a year later. It was the last major event to take place in the Mayfair Theatre before it was severely damaged in the Northridge earthquake in January 1994 and had to be closed indefinitely. The video was filmed by producer Mark Magidson, known for his work on the 1992 film Baraka. It contains interviews with Gerrard and Perry, as well a music video for "Yulunga (Spirit Dance)", composed of clips from Baraka.
While the CD functions as the soundtrack to the video, neither contain the entire show. The CD lacks "Gloridean" as well as the song played over the ending credits of the video, while the video lacks "Persian Love Song" and concert footage of "Yulunga (Spirit Dance)".
In 2001, Toward the Within was re-released on DVD and included in the box set Dead Can Dance (1981-1998). In addition to the original content, the DVD release contained a few extras: a discography; music videos for "Frontier", "The Protagonist" and "The Carnival Is Over"; and a chapter from Baraka titled "Calcutta Foragers/Homeless", which is set to Dead Can Dance's "The Host of Seraphim". In 2004, the DVD was released in a stand-alone package.
Performers
List of musicians who performed in the Toward the Within live concert.
Track listing
- "Rakim" – 6:25
- "Persian Love Song" – 2:56
- "Desert Song" – 4:20
- "Yulunga (Spirit Dance)" (from Into the Labyrinth) – 7:12
- "Piece for Solo Flute" – 3:34
- "The Wind That Shakes the Barley" (from Into the Labyrinth) – 3:12
- "I Am Stretched on Your Grave" – 4:38
- "I Can See Now" – 2:56
- "American Dreaming" – 4:55
- "Cantara" (from Within the Realm of a Dying Sun) – 5:15
- "Oman" – 5:49
- "The Song of the Sibyl" (from Aion) – 4:31
- "Tristan" – 1:48
- "Sanvean" – 4:05
- "Don't Fade Away" – 6:12
Note: "Persian Love Song" is based on an ancient Persian song. The same song was used by David Sylvian in "Nostalgia" (from the Brilliant Trees LP), although Sylvian did not specify that in the album credits. "I Am Stretched on Your Grave" is based on an anonymous 17th century poem, and is separate from Sinéad O'Connor's own rendition on I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got.
Songs
1Rakim6:25
2Persian Love Song2:56
3Desert Song4:21