This CD reissues Irish composer Roger Doyle's two mid-'70s albums in a more logical way than a pair of earlier Artware reissues, where parts of Thalia were placed hodgepodge on the Oizzo No release to make room for more recent tracks, even if a track from Oizzo No had to be omitted. The CD follows the artist's progression from quirky though conventional works done at the age of 18 (part of "Bitter-Sweet Suite" and "Two Movements for Flute and Strings") to the far more experimental and fully realized electronic work "Thalia," his first large-scale piece composed at age 26. Oizzo No, originally self-released by Doyle in 1975, finds the composer moving in too many directions as he explores different instrumentation, everything from piano solos and Baroque strings to short tape loops. "Ceol Sidhe" features traditional Celtic instruments, whereas "Theme from Emtigon" is a short pop instrumental with Doyle overdubbing himself on drum kit, piano, and guitar. Thalia, originally released in early 1978 by CBS, was a far more cohesive record, as Doyles experimentalism became far more original and striking, especially on the half-hour title track that dominates the album. The two-part "Thalia" is a dark and powerful electronic collage piece that combines military parades and children crying with abrupt transitions; in one eerie section a woman sobs while air-raid sirens and other strange electronics are heard in the background.
© Rolf Semprebon /TiVo