'Eye Of The Hunter' was recorded at Brendan's Quivvy Church studio in County Cavan in Ireland. It's a relatively isolated setting - one which allows its owner space to pursue his interests, which range from music to astronomy and archery to arboriculture. Dead Can Dance's music often suggested a search for meaning and sense in the world, and Brendan has taken up a similar journey. But instead of looking at the external world, he has decided to explore the inner world of his own private universe. "People have multiple personalities which are always evolving," he says. "This record deals with the different facets of my own personality." "Eye Of The Hunter's deeply personal songs explore the theme of loss - both of life and love - but they are not bereft of hope. "Saturday's Child," which opens the record, poignantly describes the changing relationship between Brendan and his father after the latter suffered two debilitating strokes. "Sloth" deals with time lost to anger, addiction and inertia, preventing us from achieving our true potential. "The Captive Heart" deals with the attempt to keep love afloat over a long distance. A cover of Tim Buckley's "Must Have Been Blind" features one of the record's more extravagant arrangements, with layers of pedal steel supporting Brendan's soaring vocals. An emotional centerpiece is the haunting, autobiographical "Voyage of Bran". Brendan Perry toured Europe and North America in support of Eye Of The Hunter. But - apart from a number of local performances and workshops in Ireland - he subsequently remained out of the public eye until Dead Can Dance reformed for a series of live concerts in the spring of 2005.
His second album entitled 'Ark' was released 7 June 2010. This album was very different from 'Eye of the Hunter', notably because it will feature rhythm machines and electric guitars.
Two more Dead Can Dance albums followed; 'Anastasis' (2012) and 'Dionysius' (2018) along with a selection of live releases; 'Live Happenings I-V' (2012) and 'In Concert' (2013). 'Live Happenings' was a selection of live tracks released in 5 separate parts online. Each part consisted of 4/5 tracks. These were recordings from the 2005 DCD tour. 'In Concert' was recordings from the 2012 tour.
During the time between albums Brendan also moved from Ireland to Bretagne/Brittany, France and during February/March 2019 completed a solo tour in France, Belgium, Netherlands and Germany, starting in La Souterraine (FR), closely followed by a Dead Can Dance tour which started in Rennes (FR) in May 2019.
Ten years after 'Ark', on 20 November 2020 Brendan released his third solo album 'Songs of Disenchantment: Music from the Greek Underground'. Initially released in digital formats (MP3/FLAC) and via streaming (Spotify, Amazon Music etc) The physical vinyl and CD versions followed in Spring 2021. This is an album of Greek songs in the Rebetiko street music style (Greek blues?). All the songs are cover versions of 1920s-1930s Greek songs but have been translated in to English. Brendan plays all the instruments himself including traditional instruments like Bouzouki, Saz, Baglama & Tsouras along with lutes and the dulcimer, which DCD fans will be familiar with.
Next up is a Dead Can Dance's Europe tour in 2022, rescheduled from 2021 due to Covid restrictions.
Sloth
Brendan Perry Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I imagine that the world is a mirror
And in minds eye behold my dark inner nature
I've been wasting time on this time-honored whore
Till I get so confused I can't see anymore
And I have crawled where I should have seen the signs
Dragging my feet when I could have been flying
Sometimes, when I'm sad
I drink to the health of my torment
And dance at the altar
To the tune of a drunken black tango
I've been wasting time on this time-honored whore
Till I get so confused I can't see anymore
Wastes my mouth trying to settle old scores
Dragging my feet when I could have been flying
Dragging my feet when I could have been flying
Dragging my feet...
The lyrics to Brendan Perry's song Sloth delve into the themes of self-reflection, regret, and wasted potential. The first paragraph reveals the singer's tendency towards introspection, imagining the world as a reflection of their own inner nature. This implies a sense of self-awareness and an acknowledgment of one's own flaws and weaknesses. The singer goes on to lament their tendency to waste time and become confused, ignoring the signs that would have led them down a better path. The metaphor of crawling when they could have been flying highlights a sense of missed opportunities and potential that was never fully realized.
The second paragraph reveals the darker, self-destructive side of the singer's personality. They turn to alcohol to alleviate their sadness and engage in reckless behavior, dancing to the tune of a drunken black tango. This suggests a lack of self-control and a willingness to indulge in behavior that is ultimately harmful to themselves. The final lines repeat the chorus, emphasizing the idea of wasted potential and dragging one's feet instead of soaring.
Overall, the lyrics to Sloth paint a picture of a person who is struggling with inner turmoil and the weight of their own shortcomings. The imagery is vivid and poetic, conveying a sense of regret and a desire for redemption.
Line by Line Meaning
Sometimes when I'm alone
Occasionally when I'm by myself
I imagine that the world is a mirror
I picture the world as a reflection of myself
And in minds eye behold my dark inner nature
And in my imagination, I see my inner demons
I've been wasting time on this time-honored whore
I've been spending my time on something that's been around forever
Till I get so confused I can't see anymore
Until I'm so bewildered that I can't think straight
And I have crawled where I should have seen the signs
I've been moving slowly instead of recognizing warning signals
Dragging my feet when I could have been flying
I've slowed myself down instead of moving quickly and efficiently
Sometimes, when I'm sad
Occasionally, when I'm unhappy
I drink to the health of my torment
I drink to feel better about my worries and troubles
And dance at the altar
And dance in a place of worship
To the tune of a drunken black tango
To the beat of a dark and intoxicating melody
Wastes my mouth trying to settle old scores
I waste words trying to resolve past grievances
Dragging my feet when I could have been flying
I move with hesitation instead of being ambitious
Dragging my feet when I could have been flying
I move with hesitation instead of being ambitious
Dragging my feet...
I move slowly and inefficiently
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRENDAN MICHAEL PERRY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind