Curated by Cathi Unsworth and based on her book – Season Of The Witch: The Book of Goth, Ace Record’s compilation Dressed In Black is a look at the powerful women who command a presence on the darker side of the musical landscape. The 19-track disc covers a lot of ground but is centred around the experimental sounds of Siouxsie and The Banshees, Lydia Lunch, Nico and Diamanda Galas. Newer sounds include the slinky grind of Anna Calvi’s “Ain’t No Grave” from the Netflix series Peaky Blinders and indie dancefloor track “Idiot Milk” by The Mummy.
Billie Holiday adds a classy sound on “Gloomy Sunday” and Nina Simone appears on her spellbinding cover of “I Put A Spell On You” that sounds like it came straight from a James Bond film. Gothic folk is covered with Karen Dalton and Shirley Collins, Bobbie Gentry adds mystery on her hit “Ode To Billie Joe”. Lesser-known highlights include the dramatic Phil Spector like production of Judy Henske’s “Road To Nowhere” and the atmospheric shoegaze of Anita Lane. Julie Driscoll’s spare jazz take on Donovan’s hit “Season Of The Witch” unwinds over nearly 8 minutes. An added bonus is Unsworth’s notes on each song that include intriguing stories about remarkable lives.
9/10
