review by: Roberto Martinelli

Here's another one of Smolken's folk incarnations of his Dead Raven Choir project. It may largely be more of the same, but the quality and interest of the material and execution has improved greatly.

This time around, Smolken got an actual band to help him. The richness of the instrumentation, featuring mandolin, banjo, tambourine, organ, piano and something called a pennywhistle to go along with the electric guitars and basses, plus a much less slipshod feeling concerning the musicianship and compositions make this album something that offers some things to enjoy.

Smolken loves Winnie the Pooh as much as he loves wolves. The liner notes even mention that Sky of Rose and Wolves was completed on the 75th anniversary of the children's classic. If Smolken were here I'm sure he'd say that he loves the A.A. Milne version of the honey-loving bear and not the version that Disney has been putting out since it bought the rights. Milne's writings are featured on several of the songs on Sky of Rose and Wolves, including the last five tracks on the album. These five stand as one piece and are narrated by a woman whose voice has something that really makes you take notice. Speaking of voice, Smolken seems to have gotten stuff right in terms of mixing his albums. The vocals have finally been brought up to a reasonable level, and the sound and interplay of the instruments is much better.

Dead Raven Choir culls its inspiration from various sources. In addition to Milne, there is also a quiet cover of an Averse Sefira song (yeah, the black metal band from Texas), to go along with covers of other bands that I've never even heard of (anyone know about Taint Meat or Deadskull?). Try not to snicker when Smolken drops his rolly "r" Eastern European accent for a twangy blues voice as he sings about his baby on "She Dances."

While Dead Raven Choir is still kind of goofy and remains in my mind the poor man's Kemialliset Ystävät, Sky of Rose and Wolves shows that Smolken is getting his creative steam going. I hope that the next Dead Raven Choir album is even better than this one.