Summary:
This is truly a bizarre concept/album. CD 1 is normal enough - 16th and 17th classical (Renaissance and Baroque) music from the likes of Purcell and Sances, all with the vocals of Sarah Pillow. CD 2, however, features jazzy, "modern" renditions of the entire first CD - Pillow’s vocals are jazzier as well, though still retain some Classical tendencies

CD 1:
Solid music from the Renaissance/early Baroque music, though nothing amazing. Pillow’s vocals are good, but nothing spell-binding. The poems that are set to the songs border on lame – the better songs are the ones performed in foreign languages.
Favorite tracks: 1, 4, 8, 11

1. Strings and harpsichord, quintessential Baroque, conversational feel. Purcell is the man!
2. More Renaissance feel, strumming lute, respectfully sad/melancholic
3. More lute strumming, lame lyrics, short track 4. Organ and light strings, upbeat but subdued 5. Lute strumming again, contemplative
6. Guitars, French lyrics, more playful feel
7. Strings and harpsichord again, slow.
8. Nice mix of baroque and renaissance sounds, medium tempo, profound atmosphere
9. Slow song of lament with harpsichord, long track, violin solos
10. Simple and short, Renaissance feel
11. Several distinct parts, meandering and faster at times, slower in middle. Organ throughout. Cool ending of rhythmically interesting Alleluias.
12. More harpsichord, medium tempo, tactfully cheerful
13. Short track, lute background

CD2:
Hard to believe it’s still Pillow’s vocals (Pillow sings on all 13 tracks). Really strange mix of jazz singing and 17th century style. Unfortunately, the background instrumentation is weak, and often cheesy. An intriguing experiment that ultimately fails. But interesting enough to warrant a brief listen.
Favorite tracks: 3, 9

1. Upbeat, cheesy funk line, lame electric guitar solos, jazzed up vocals
2. Simple, gritty bass line, occasional sound effects, wailing synth solo – darker overall feel
3. Cool, minimal xylophone-like instrumentation with particularly jazzy vocals – nice
4. Military-ish drumming, slow chiming, breaks into a jazzier, more interesting beat, another boring electric guitar solo towards end
5. Ambient background, slow guitar, opening breaks into quirky base + rhythm
6. Quiet Brazilian-like marching music/beat in the back, multiple vocals in middle
7. Jazz club feel, uninspired but pleasant xylophone-like solo, synth background
8. Slow, droning bass, trippy feel, ambient soundscapes, more cheesy electric guitar solos, duet of vocals at end
9. Nice pensive acoustic guitar line, quietly tragic feel, slightly out of place electric guitar solos
10. Spoken word performance, ocean sounds in the back, short
11. Another upbeat, cheesy funk line, murkier atmosphere mid song, cool rhythmic Alleluias at end
12. Subdued Brazilian/island sound, vocals more classical though
13. String instrumentation in classical style, jazzier vocals (Tori Amosish?), ending minute of silence
14. Funny outtake

- Captain Dee (Doug)

listening to the sarah weird sarah pillow CD. overall I don't care much for disc two, too much bland use of generic synth presets- but there's one track "as life what is so sweet" that sounds like Dali's Car- well just the bass, I had to check that it wasn't Mick Karn.

disc one, the straight-up early music, is good for a contemplative morning.