The Sinking Belle (Or: Sunn actually does something different for once.)

I have mixed feelings on Sunn O))), but these four tracks need to be posted. My issue with Sunn O))) is that they're slightly too pretentious, and their sound hasn't really changed all that much from one release to the next. That said, I have to admire how focused, diligent, and patient they are when it comes to perfecting the sound they're aiming for. I actually saw them live last September in Brooklyn (with Boris and Jesse Sykes) where they blew out an amp the size of an SUV, and proceeded to stand their in their black hooded capes, looking extremely puzzled and flustered. Oops. (Everyone had to wait outside for 40 minutes while they fixed the problem.)

As far as I'm concerned, this song is the only Sunn O))) composition I'll ever enjoy. The three versions of "The Sinking Belle" (Blue Sheep, Black Sheep, and White Sheep) are all various B-Sides and bonus tracks of the Boris & Sunn album Altar, released on Southern Lord in 2006. The reason this song is so beautiful is entirely due to the addition of Jesse Sykes, a Seattle-based singer with a gauzy voice and an Americana-folk style. Her voice is complimented perfectly by Sunn's slow, gentle movement and an extremely toned down Boris. This is a simple song, but each version takes it further and deepens the sound, until it becomes a haunting, expansive anthem.

Perhaps the most incredible thing about "The Sinking Belle", is that all three versions can be played at the same time without conflict. I discovered this when I left two Youtube tabs open at once, though I'm sure it was an artistic choice on their part. The experience of listening to all three together is chilling. The different incarnations of Sykes' voice call to each other, and each undulation of slide guitars makes way for another as the sound continually builds and diffuses.
 

Blue Sheep, Black Sheep, White Sheep, Blue/Black Sheep, too many sheep