78 minutes, 5 seconds

Current 93
Nature Unveiled

Not my favorite C93 album, but then again, is it anyone's? Most would probably cite Thunder Perfect Mind, Of Ruine or Some Blazing Starre, or perhaps another release from David Tibet's folk era. But Nature Unveiled is an interesting artefact, not least because it compiles some of C93's earliest and noisiest recordings, from the days when Tibet was obsessed not with Buddhism, not with Coptic Christianity, but with proto-Satanist Aleister Crowley.

That got me to thinking (I know, I sound like Carrie Bradshaw from Sex in the City...). Will his seemingly deep and genuine Christian beliefs be just another in a long line of Tibet's obsessions? Will he someday disavow the recordings he's making now as being the product of beliefs he no longer holds?

For example, he went through a period where he absolutely loved the paintings of Louis Wain...then a few years later sold almost all of the ones he'd collected. In the '80s, it was runes and pagan mythology, which gave way to Buddhism, which segued to Christianity in the late '90s. And now, with the release of Black Ships Ate the Sky, it's all about Coptic Christianity.

Not complaining, by the way. I've followed Tibet and his loopy music, rococo lyrics, and reedy voice through all his infatuations (and I've paid too much in import prices for the privilege). The journey itself has been interesting and rewarding to the careful listener. And maybe it's the nature of artists to firmly leave behind ideas they used in the past, so as not to keep repeating themselves. But it's hard not to find every new thing Tibet latches on to as mildly amusing, in a here-he-goes-again way.

In that spirit, place your bets: What will Tibet do next? Choose from below or write in your own:

(a) Convert to Orthodox Judaism (bullshit celebrity Kabbalah doesn't count!)
(b) Collaborate with Sha Na Na on his next album
(c) Buy back all those Louis Wain paintings he sold
(d) Reissue the entire library of "Choose Your Own Adventure" books on Durtro Press
(e) _____________________

Also today:

78:03 Laibach, Anthems
78:03 X Marks the Pedwalk, Experiences (CD 2 of 2)
78:00 Beta, Reflections in Darkness
78:00 La Floa Maldita, Salut Jacques
77:55 Hocico, Autoagresión Persistente
77:48 Dead Can Dance, 1981-1998 (CD 2 of 3)
77:37 Numina, Transparent Planet
77:30 Delerium, Semantic Spaces