Adriana and David Róze, the husband-and-wife team that makes up The Endless, released their 1st full-length album, The Republic of Heaven, in 2005. They immediately put me in mind of another group, Secret Garden, and not just because of a mixed-sex pair. Adriana’s vocals, which have been described by others as “ethereal” but to me comes closer to Alanis Morissette or Tracy Bonham (that’s a victory, by the way), over a mix of synthesizer and guitar, plus occasional sit-ins from percussion and back-up vocals, means that you can easily pass an evening by combining their discographies.
You’ll know when The Endless is playing, though, when the music becomes infused with energy and drive. Make no mistake: this is not your parents’ hippy-couple folk duo.
The mistake would be to file this away as an album for your “alone time,” as some have said. The Endless have something to say, both lyrically and musically, and trying to focus on, say, a book, or on nothingness if you’re meditating, is going to prove difficult if not impossible. David Róze treats the synthesizer as a unique instrument rather than a cheap stand-in for an orchestra, often with fascinating results. In particular, “Not a Man of God” is a track that owes its existence to David’s ability to make his synth sit up and do tricks for him.
In the end, here’s what you need to take away from a review of The Republic of Heaven: The Endless have a voice, which is all too rare in music today. They might remind you of other artists (as they obviously did to me) but, once you hear them, you’ll be able to pick them out of a crowd. If the voice you’re looking for is one of true contemplation, rather than “contemplation-and-by-that-I-mean-I-want-to-take-a-nap,” they’re going to be just the thing.
~ review by John Casker
Artist: The Endless
Queen of the Moon Records, 2005
