Selected Tracks 1987-1990 by Cafe Noire (Review)
As I’ve noted before, one of the challenges of exploring indie, alternative, and underground Christian music from the ’80s and ’90s is that it’s intrinsically obscure. Although niche blogs like Christian Tape Underground are doing the Lord’s work in attempting to chronicle the era’s myriad artists and releases, this music — which existed far beyond the periphery and purview of both the Christian and secular markets — seems destined to fall through the cracks, fly under the radar, etc.
Which is certainly frustrating, but also means that the good discoveries are so much the sweeter. Case in point, this collection of demos recorded by Cafe Noire, a short-lived gothic/alternative group formed by vocalist Leslie DuPre-Grimaud and multi-instrumentalist Mike Brown, along with several other collaborators (including Leslie’s twin sister Lorri). Although I knew nothing of Brown or the other members, DuPre-Grimaud was familiar to me thanks to her appearances on The Violet Burning’s Chosen and The Prayer Chain’s Shawl. (Her backing vocals on the latter’s “Fifty-Eight” are particularly haunting.)
Not surprisingly, Dupre-Grimaud’s voice is the star here, and she displays an incredible range and dramatic presence that evokes such luminaries as Lisa Gerrard and Sinéad O’Connor. Musically, 4AD Records is the most immediate touchstone for Cafe Noire’s moody, atmospheric sound, as heard on “The Wedding Song,” “Crying Out For Life,” and “Sister.” Indeed, the aptly titled “Instrumental” might even pass for a long-lost Cocteau Twins outtake. There are some moments where the band’s experimental bent runs away from them (e.g., the harrowing “Falling Voices”), but they bring it home with a striking live cover of Joy Division’s “New Dawn Fades.”
Listening to Selected Tracks 1987 – 1990 ultimately raises more questions than it settles, akin to what I experience listening to other Christian goth acts like The Children of Power and Christian Image. Being 4-track demos, these songs are definitely rough around the edges, and you can’t help wondering what might’ve been had Cafe Noire entered a proper studio with some decent backing. But was that even their goal? Why did they call it quits after recording these demos? What happened to all of the band’s members? I doubt we’ll ever get answers to these questions, meaning Selected Tracks 1987 – 1990 will forever remain a fascinating artifact from an obscure facet of Christian music, but hopefully one that more interested people will discover now that it’s on Bandcamp.
Speaking of its Bandcamp release, it has some sad context: Dupre-Grimaud has been beset by some major health issues in recent years. Her husband Herb — who has played in The Violet Burning and Raspberry Jam as well as his own Sound Gallery project — released the compilation on Bandcamp back in 2021 to help cover her mounting medical bills. Which means that purchasing Selected Tracks 1987 – 1990 not only gets you an interesting bit of Christian music history, but also helps a talented artist who played a role in that history.