Literary Illusions is proud to be giving away two copies of the lost CHICAGO: STONE OF SISYPHUS (XXXII) CD. To enter all you need to do is leave us a comment. Please be sure to only leave one. Comments are moderated to avoid spam, so it will not show up right away. People who leave multiple comments will be deleted from the contest altogether. If you do not see your comment within a day then by all means leave another one. Otherwise, do not worry as we accept comments several times a day.

To enter you need to be 18 years of age and a resident of the US. If you have won a contest within the last 30 days you are not eligible. Winners will be announced here. If we do not hear from you within 3 weeks from the date the winners are announced you forfeit your prize and we will select another winner. Prizes will be shipped within 45 days from the day you win.

We will begin choosing winners for this the week of July 5, 2008, which means you have until July 4, 2008 at 11:59 to enter.

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Though Serena Ryder is just 24 years old, she is no stranger to the music scene. While not familiar with American audiences, this Canadian songstress is going to make a splash that is set to be undeniably big. With a developed, three octave vocal range, Ryder has the ability to sound how she wants to sound whether she is tough, sultry, or tender in her musical styling.

With lyrics as unique as her voice, Ryder is sure to be one of the smash hits of the American music scene. She is emotional, strong, and calm in her approach, which leaves a lasting effect on the listener. Her voice is uniquely addicting, which is wonderful because she is filling a much needed void in American music and the chick rock scene. While Jewel, Alanis Morrisette, and the once great Sarah McLaughlin have seemingly faded from the scene, Ryder will pick up and revive the genre where they left off.

In celebration of Ryder coming to America with her music, a five song EP has been released. I was offered a copy of the songs for review. The first thing that struck me about Ryder was her voice. Her musical accompaniment is incredibly simple because her vocals are able to stand up on their own with little help. It was her lyrics that really got to me though. Ryder has a way about her lyrics that remind me of the late, great Jim Morrison. One of the many things that made Morrison’s best songs stand out were the elements of poetry found in the songs. He was a poet prior to being involved in music and his poetry was crafted to become his music. Many of Ryder’s lyrics have that same pleasant, literary feel to them.

The name of the five songs on this EP by Serena Ryder, which are meant to introduce her to the US, and some thoughts about each track are listed below.

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When we talk about bands that produce two records with two completely different sounds, The Earth Sings Mi Fa Mi from The Receiving End of Sirens fits that perfectly. TREOSs first album, Between the Heart and the Synapse, was a rock-driven artistic masterpiece while The Earth Sings Mi Fa Mi is mostly artwork with a hit of their rock and roll roots laden into the backdrop of the album. On the whole, the two albums sound completely different and it would be difficult to conceive that they were even produced by the same band.

As I stated above, the sound the two albums are drastically different. Between the Heart and the Synapse was a rock-driven album with well-placed artistic overtones and nuances. The Earth Sings Mi Fa Mi is nearly the complete opposite- an artsy album with rock undertones. Don’t get me wrong, there’s not wrong with a musical 180, its perfectly natural in the course of events of a musician. And in the case of The Receiving End of Sirens, it could be the result of the band continuing their story telling- since the two albums are symbiotic of each other. The Earth Sings Mi Fa Mi needs Between the Heart and the Synapse to tell its story- while Between the Heart and the Synapse needs The Earth Sings Mi Fa Mi to continue its story. Without each other their stories have no meaning, and without each other they don’t exist. And since existence is the underlying tone of both albums, it is, in this writer’s opinion, is all part of the genius that is The Receiving End of Sirens.

While the sound of the albums is different, the lyrics and meaning are still intertwined. Between the Heart and the Synapse spoke of coming into existence and trying to find one’s self, The Earth Sings Mi Fa Mi takes that to the next level and speaks about being in existence and watching the world from the eyes of an outsider, or as someone who always ignored or overlooked. On those same lines, the album questions that existence and in essence, makes the listener watch as that existence seems to fade away. True to nature, the album is lyrically intelligent- still commanding the English language and using poetic and literary devices with the utmost perfection. One addition in The Earth Sings Mi Fa Mi is the imagery. TREOS uses imagery in the album like a great sci-fi or fantasy novel, the lyrics will take you and place you into the point of view the speaker, whoever it may be. Tolkien would be proud.

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Fans of classic rock will love this Led Zeppelin set. The set features two CDs and one DVD. The track listings are below. Literary Illusions is proud to be offering one of these great sets to one lucky winner.

CD 1 Track List

Good Times Bad Times
Communication Breakdown
Dazed and Confused
Babe I’m Gonna Leave You
Whole Lotta Love
Ramble On
Heartbreaker
Immigrant Song
Since I’ve Been Loving You
Rock and Roll
Black Dog
When the Levee Breaks
Stairway to Heaven

CD 2 Track List

The Song Remains the Same
Over the Hills and Far Away
D’Yer Mak’er
No Quarter
Trampled Under Foot
Houses of the Holy
Kashmir
Nobody’s Fault but Mine
Achilles Last Stand
In the Evening
All My Love

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