Geoff Baker
Alone At Night: A Vampire's Tale
self-relaesed

A concept album about a vampire? Geoff Baker hasn't made things easy on himself, but he makes it work. These days, even after the cancellation of the hit show "Buffy-the Vampire Slayer" there's still bound to be an interest in the vampire myth. Buffy's spinoff "Angel" is still running and the new film "Underworld" deals with vampires. There's enough layers of mystique and intrigue for our fanged friends to never go out of fashion entirely.

Baker takes the idea seriously and that's a smart move.

Baker charts a young man's development from human to vampire. Musically his record echoes the rock operas of the seventies' Rocky Horror Show and Tommy spring to mind. Baker has an attractive and emotive voice and gets his tale across well. "To Eternity" is a sprightly, cheerful number despite its weighty themes. The elegant, poignant "Lightly From the Living" is another strong number.

"A Hundred Years of more" describes the protagonists' love for the woman who turned him. Baker sings it soulfully. The album closes with the aptly titled "Find me a crypt". This unusual and oddly lively album couldn't end on a better note. Baker is working on a stage version of this material and I have no doubt that that would make for a great night out-alone or not.

Copyright © 2004 Anna Maria Stjärnell