Considered to be one of the most influential albums of all time, the deleted original 1987 version of this album stands centre stage with works by The Beatles, The Velvet Underground, Jimi Hendrix and Joy Division. It marked a definitive shift in style for Death In June and the true beginning of a new musical genre, Neo Folk.
This digitally remastered edition was the bonus CD accompanying the 20th Anniversary Stone Circle Edition of Brown Book issued in 2007, and contains 7 songs from the original album coupled to 7 remixed, re-recorded and rare versions of the remaining songs! In effect it is Brown Book II - Braun Buch Zwei!
To test and to try, this is the sound of the true believer, sounding better than ever!
The completely recycled paper booklet and 'Repak' is brown with black 'Ultra Coated' images and Runes featuring never-before-seen photos from the period. Stark, refreshed and beautiful.
Review
Another slab of Douglas Pearce misanthropy, Brown Book doesn't veer too far from the apocalyptical folk of the earlier Nada! and The World That Summer, acoustic strumming guitars, rhythms that thud slowly like the marching footsteps of an army, and some weird electronics effects thrown in, while Pearce sings in his low voice. Though less absent than on The World That Summer, Current 93's David Tibet provides lead vocals on a couple tracks, the synth-driven "Punishment Initiation" and the calmer "Born Again," with its simple guitar riff, while Rose McDowall backs Pearce on several others, her high childlike voice adding a nice contrast to his deep drones, especially when they duet on the trumpet-fanfare punctuated "To Drown a Rose." - All Music 4/5
