PromoFabrik Webblog: ROME release fifth album "Flower from Exile"

Into the heart… With ‘Flowers from Exile’, the Luxembourgish folk formation ROME surpass their work to date, which already includes three full-length albums in just a few years. Just as early releases were apocalyptic and aggressive in nature, the expressionistically-tinged CD ‘Masse Mensch Material’ (2008) could be said to have a revealed inner vision. ROME’s universe was expanded by proud resignation and sweet melancholy.

The latest album, ‘Flowers from Exile’ (2009) goes a step further in this direction. Similar to the early albums of the legendary songwriter Leonard Cohen, stories from the (inner) exile are told here with fatalistic gestures and dark timbre; of the longing for a lost homeland, of loneliness and eternal travels, but also of unexpected friends far away and the actual homeland in your own heart. Songs such as ‘The Secret Sons of Europe’ or ‘To Die Among Strangers’ (which was previously released as a CD single) form a song cycle full of metaphors for estrangement – the poetry of longing. Highly detailed arrangements use the sound of the flamenco guitar as well as mysterious samples, pulsating beats and sad melodies. In ROME’s songs there lives a stoic sense of the melodramatic. As well as Cohen, one must look to icons such as Tom Waits and late Johnny Cash in order to be able to describe the lyrics and voice of Jerome Reuter.
‘Flowers from Exile’ is just as much an emotional as a critical work. The personally stamped album of a modern singer-songwriter which tells of journeys both within and without. Jerome Reuter’s moving vocals and Patrick Damiani’s complex musical arrangements leave the musical roots of folk far behind and send these ‘Flowers from Exile’ to all listeners who are willing and capable of feeling the dignity, the hope and the pride behind the lyrics and who are prepared to recognise themselves in those restless spirits whom the twelve part song cycle conjures up. Into the heart…

Discography:
Berlin (CD - 2006)
Nera (CD - 2006)
Confessions d’un Voleur d’Âmes (CD - 2007)
Masse Mensch Material (CD - 2008)
To Die Among Strangers (MCD - 2009)
Flowers from Exile (CD - 2009)

Tourdates:
27. Jun. 2009 MANNHEIM - SIEBENER - SPECIAL RELEASE PARTY & CONCERT
05. Sep. 2009 LEIPZIG - NOCTURNAL CULTURE NIGHT IV
06. Nov. 2009 BERLIN - FESTSAAL KREUZBERG
18. Dez. 2009 PHILHARMONIE LUXEMBOURG

Bandmember:
Jerome Reuter (instruments and vocals, songwriting and arrangements)
Patrick Damiani (instruments, arrangements and sound design)
Patrick Y. Kleinbauer (Live-bass)

Genre:
Folk

Tracklist:
01. To A Generation Of Destroyers
02. The Accidents Of Gesture
03. Odessa
04. The Secret Sons Of Europe
05. The Hollow Self
06. A Legacy Of Unrest
07. To Die Among Strangers
08. A Culture Of Fragments
09. We Who Fell In Love With The Sea
10. Swords To Rust - Hearts To Dust
11. Flowers From Exile
12. Flight In Formation

Releasedate:
June 26th, 2009

Year of foundation:
2005

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