Three Calamities

This album is not as noisy or frenetic as Serpentine Gallery or even Bread and Jam for Francis. It is more ethereal and hypnotic. Dreamlike, surreal, and gorgeous. The songs are more richly textured than those on their previous albums. Yet, occasionally there are echoes back to Serpentine Gallery. There is no doubt that the songs on this album came from the same font of musical genius. Ultimately, I think this is their best work yet. The songs leave a more lasting impact. They have more resonance; the haunting sounds leave their essence behind long after the cd has finished playing.

I bought this cd a week ago and haven't been able to pry it out of my cd player since. I bought several other cds at the same time, and I just can't seem to give the others much of a chance yet because that would mean I can't listen to this one!

The Three Calamities is an awe-some album. If you haven't yet heard it, I envy you. And if you are a Switchblade Symphony fan and are dissuaded from buying this album because of the negative reviews on this site, then I pity you.


Excellent Trip-Goth!   January 31, 2003
Clarissa (Ontario, California)
10 out of 10 found this review helpful

Getting straight to the point, I'm quite appalled by all of these negative reviews, which were completely uncalled for! I bought 'Serpentine Gallery' before 'The Three Calamities' and though I do consider 'Serpentine Gallery' to be a classic album when it comes to electronic goth music, in my own humbled opinion I find 'The Three Calamities' to be much better in comparison and was really taken aback when I noticed the less than stelar reviews here! What I don't understand is the reason for everyone's incessant griping! So-called fans of Switchblade Symphony seem to be complaining about them altering their style but they make it sound so drastic when the difference is in fact hardly audible! Tina's quirky high-pitched voice hasn't changed a bit and the lyrics are just as devious and as twisted as they've ever been! Instead of having Susan's synthesizers and loops provide a dancebeat backdrop, however, they tone it down a little with trip-hop instead of electronica, which compliments the more prominent piano instrument as they trade-in the harsh guitars for a more subtle approach. And while 'Serpentine Gallery' contains some rememerable hits like "Dollhouse" and "Gutter Glitter", 'The Three Calamities' is an overall better album (although many will beg to differ, I'm sure) and I find myself helplessly attached to irresistible tunes like "Into The Sky" and "Copycat".


A Grand Good-Bye   November 27, 2004
Adrian LeGarde (That place your momma told you not to hang out in)
9 out of 9 found this review helpful

As a late-bloomer to the musical joy that was Switchblade Symphony, I was saddened to learn that "The Three Calamities" was to be their last studio release. You don't have to be a member (or even fan of) gothic subculture to appreciate the songs on this album. Tina Root and Susan Wallace brought something extraordinary to a predominantly fashion-oriented musical genre: they gave it substance & credibility. If you want something calming, yet thought-provoking, this CD is for you. If you want great music to fall asleep by, this CD is for you. If you want something positively eerie to accompany your walks in the woods at night by the light of a full moon... then this CD is for you. That's what makes "The Three Calamities" (and the music of Switchblade Symphony, in general) so appealing: it may help set a tone, but it doesn't dominate the listener's state of mind.
If you were a fan since "Serpentine Gallery", then you'll hear songs that showcase more sophisticated melodies and experienced lyrical wisdom. And if you're discovering Switchblade Symphony for the first time, tunes like 'Invisible', 'Naked Birthday', and 'Into The Sky' will inspire you to search out their earlier works. Overall, "The Three Calamities" is a grand finale to an all-too-short but brilliant duo who broke the repetitive, faded, hopeless mold of gothic music.


A wonderful dark & sometimes haunting experiance   June 14, 2000
Eric S. Brown (Middletown Ohio)
5 out of 5 found this review helpful

The newest release from the gothic/darkwave band Switchblade Symphony is a wonderful,dark sometimes haunting listening experiance. The opening track Invisible opens you up to a softer more melodic side of the band that was somewhat left behind on thier Bread & Jam for Francis cd.Then songs like Copycat & Invitation take on a new style not seen before on previous releases. On my favorite song by them since hearing the Leatherstrip remix of Clown came Fear. This song takes you into the singers nightmares and leaves you there. If you were to buy any gothic/darkwave cd anytime in the near future,This cd needs to be one of them! I also -HIGHLY- recomend thier first release titled Serpetine Gallery. - Rated A+


I suppose you have to listen to it more than once   October 13, 1999
5 out of 5 found this review helpful

Well, I guess it's time to admit that Switchblade Symphony may never be returning to the style that we came to love so much on "Serpentine Gallery". But, hell, that's the music industry for you...a band's sound can and is often encouraged to do a full rotation from CD to CD. At first, I didn't find this CD to be particularly impressive...it just didn't really 'catch' me or anything. But I gave it a chance before writing it off, because I still entrust some faith in these girls. Honestly, I'm glad I did. Tina really has the ability to tap into emotion. I think she utilized that skill very well on "Fear" and "Invitation". Her voice is most interesting; the way it swings back and forth from haunting and evocative to high-pitched and almost innocuous. Susan displays great skill, too, with the mixing and all. She's a very talented musician, as well. In all, I recommend this CD. It isn't mind-blowing, but it's certainly a nice way to spend forty minutes.