 Klaus Nomi I was flabbergasted when this CD was released, and I'm still flabbergasted that it even exists. Sometimes I have to go over to my wall of CDs to make sure it wasn't one of those amazing CD's I found in a dream, only to wake to the realization that it doesn't really exist, like the Paul McCartney single "Hobo Baby Jesus" (available via exclusive download from my subconscious brain). But every time I check, it's there, and I am always pleased to find it. Klaus Nomi was one of the coolest people ever to stumble into a career in rock music, and this CD is a great musical biography of the man and his brief, jaw-dropping career. He released only two full studio albums before returning to outer space, and only now does the world seem to be ready to try to understand what the hell it was he was doing while he was with us. Drawn from those two albums plus a compilation album and a live album, Eclipsed is a brilliantly compiled portrait of a performer who is still hard to follow in the much more appropriate 21st century. In 1980, I can only imagine what people must have thought of Nomi's operatic countertenor, space-out new wave tunes and thoroughly reimagined covers. There's not a note that isn't about as gay as it could possibly be, and everything on here is full of Nomi's irrepressible personality. This guy was going to be a star no matter what, and the fact that he got as far as he did with such a completely bizarre stage persona and truly left-field musical style says a lot. Now he's being hailed as a visionary by some of the electronic crowd, though he's really more of a futuristic Joel Grey than anything like Kraftwerk. Nearly 60 minutes of Nomi's world, which is an all-or-nothing scenario. If you don't like the first thirty seconds of "Total Eclipse," which is something like early-80s Yoko Ono crossed with, um, deep space, then you will get nothing out of the rest of the disc other than a huge migraine. His covers of Lou Christie's "Lightning Strikes" and Lesley Gore's "You Don't Own Me" will further draw you in or appall you, depending on your musical constitution. But if your constitution doesn't allow for Nomi, why, then, I ain't ratifyin'. The guy was brilliant in the same way that King Diamond and Mortiis are brilliant – he was so utterly committed to being himself and foisting his vision on the world, that you have to admire the audacity even if you hate the music. I actually don't even hear this music as camp anymore, I just think it's fantastic. How can you not just love a space cowboy theme caled "Rubberband Lazer" ("I'm gonna lasso you with my rubberband lazer/Pull you closer to me/and look right to the moon") or a moody synth treatment of a Purcell aria ("Cold Song")? Covers of "Just One Look" and "Ding Dong the Witch is Dead" are as fascinating as you would imagine, and Nomi favorites like "Keys of Life" and "ICUROK" can't be beat. The disc ends with the one-two punch of "I Feel Love" followed by "Can't Help Falling in Love" – the former has Nomi in full-on falsetto mode, the latter has no falsetto at all; in fact, it's astoundingly moving, and a brilliant coda. It's as fitting an epitaph as could have been used. Kudos to Razor & Tie for having the vision to release something like this. Personally, I'd have lobbied hard for the inclusion of "Nomi Song" off the first album, but I can't argue a bit about this disc, it's damn near flawless. Informative notes by liner king Harry Young round out a simply wonderful package. This is recommended with great enthusiasm – I would not be surprised if many people would absolutely hate it, but those that love it will love it passionately.
Review by Todd Plasma |