reviews

Keepsakes & Reflections is a collection of rare and unreleased tracks from one of the most original dark electronic bands of today. Attrition's Martin Bowes, the veteran musician from Coventry, produced so many varied releases - from dark electro to classical orchestral sounds to ethereal ambient and experimental industrial - that one can really be impressed. The collections of unreleased material are often second-rate recording that could not find their place on official releases. This one is different - it is the very strong offering, and the fact that the tracks were produced over certain longer period of time, only adds to variety and quality of the tracks. There are ultra-melodic, danceable electro anthems (check "Underpass" or "Memory, uncaring friend"), fascinating ambient tracks ("Cannibal Song"), or cosmic ethereal moments ("Kharb", "Keepsake & Reflections"). Franck Dematteis, member of Paris Opera, an Attrition fan himself, contributed beutiful viola passages ("Red Letter", "Metamorphosis", "L'echange"). Surely, one of the most varied and, simply speaking, beautiful albums of Martin Bowes and co.

A mazon.com 2002

"Attrition is something of a singularly in all of the genres with which it has ever been associated in its 20-year career. Never exactly Industrial, never exactly Goth or darkwave, never exactly dance or electronica either, Martin Bowes has steered his own course through these sounds and picked and chosen what he's liked from them. Attrition collection CDs are at this point as legion as original CDs; this one captures curios from comp CDs going back several years, and remixes of tracks from different labels. ("Keepsakes and Reflections" is from a lyric to the tune "This Great Divide.") I always prefer to listen to the originals of tracks rather than remixes; I enjoy hearing the original intent of the artist, even though some of the remix spins on Attrition tracks have at times been kinda juicy.
Martin has worked primarily as the lead singer of a male-female duet; the most compelling of these pairings was always with Julia Waller. Presently he works with a young woman named Christine Reid but her voice has only been heard on the live release "Heretic Angels." I can't wait for a CD of originals with Bowes and Reid. Until then, for the curious and for the collector alike, there is "Keepsakes and Reflections."

Carl Howard

Sideline.com 2010

Attrition brings a new re-release from their back catalogue. “Keepsakers And Reflections” that had been originally released on 2001 on the American Invisible Records and was a collection of rare and unreleased tracks mainly from the 90s. This album is without hesitation one of my favorite Attrition albums ever.
It’s an album full of surprises (thinking to several cover songs) while showing the very unique sound approach of Attrition that got really famous during the 90s. The debut songs are simply excellent. Starting with an unexpected remix of Dead Kennedy’s “Kill The Poor” Attrition proved to be simply genius in covering this famous punk anthem. The cover version comes closer to a kind of ethereal and mystical electronic wave piece of music. “Thin Red Line” coming next delivers a remix by Pankow. This version sounds more clubby while evoking some good souvenirs from the Italian masters of EBM. The 3rd song is also a cover version. John Foxx’ famous “Underpass”-hit has been totally transposed into the Attrition sound and is an honest and minimal adaptation. Among the other covers, there’s also Ministry’s “Cannibal Song” and Black Tape For A Blue Girl’s “Memory, Uncaring Friend”, which both aren’t my favorites.
The absolute masterpiece is without any shadow of a doubt the more atmospheric “High Tide”. “Metamorphosis” is another attention grabber where Martin Bowes walked on more soundtrack fields with a sensitive violin play as absolute apotheosis. The song “Keepsakes And Reflections” also takes a mystic approach. It’s really surprising to (re)discover these songs, which originally appeared on compilations and/or maxi’s. The last part of this album reveals a more soundtrack approach with songs like “Red Letter”, “L’echange”, “Nine Tails, To follow You round” or yet the bonus version of “The Cage” (entitled “Refrain”).
This is not just a re-release, but a magic way to (re)discover this legendary band!