Lady of Turquoise, track-by-track, day one: “Khepera at the Dawn”

December 1st, 2019 Lady of Turquoise, Track 1 “Khepera at the Dawn”

(Instrumental. Budge/Grace/Lewry/Payne.)

Credits:

Cary Grace - Synthesizers Steffe Sharpstrings - Guitar Andy Budge - Bass David Payne - Drums

Notes:

In the mythos of Ancient Egypt, the scarab (Khepra/Khepera) propels the sun disc across the sky from dawn in the east to dusk in the west. This is the beginning of the journey, floating with optimism and expansiveness. To me, this track is somewhat reminiscent of the more atmospheric efforts of NEU! (a la “Weissensee”). Like many of the tracks to follow, this was a one-off spontaneous jam, which I tweaked into a tighter song structure, and then added additional synthesizers and soundscapes.

Listen:

https://carygrace.bandcamp.com/track/khepera-at-the-dawn

Magickal Correspondences: July

Word Origin: the Romans originally named the month of July “Quintillis”, but later named it “Julius” after Julius Caesar, which is where we get the name “July”. Historical names for July include the Irish name “Iúil” or “an t-Iuchar” (“the border time”), the Anglo-Saxon name “Aeftera Litha” (“after Litha”) sometimes “Maedmonath” (“meadow month”), the Frankish name “Hewimanoth” (“hay month”), and the Asatru name “Haymoon”. Mythology: The original name for July, Quintillis, translated to “fifth”, and was the fifth month in the calendar set in place by Romulus. This calendar only had ten months and began with “Martius”, which was the original name for the month of March. There was a calendar reform after the original naming of the month, and Quintillis kept its name but became the seventh month in a twelve-month year. Then Julius Caesar instituted a new calendar called the Julian Calendar where past astrological mistakes were corrected. This reform lead to a period called the “Year of Confusion”, which was so named because of the confusion the calendar switch caused with the Roman people. After Julius Caesar’s death, the name Quintillis was changed to Julius in his honor, and the Julian Calendar remained the main calendar of the west for 1600 years. The month of July is sacred to Apet, Athena, Sothis, Spider Woman, and Rosea. Athena was the Greek Goddess of wisdom and war, and is corresponded with July because her birthday and the great festival in her honor called Panathenaea are celebrated in July. This festival occurred once every four years, likely in direct opposition to the Olympic Games. The festival included the presentation of a new robe to Athena, a large procession, and many animal sacrifices. Musical and poetic contests were also held where there were recitations of long, epic poems. Traditions and Folklore: There isn’t a Sabbat that occurs in the month of July, but there are a few important secular holidays. July 1st is Canada Day, and is a Canadian holiday that celebrates the creation of the Dominion of Canada in 1867. This was the union of three Canadian colonies. July 4th is the United States Independence Day. This celebrates the Declaration of Independence, which was signed and adopted in 1776. July 14th is Bastille Day and commemorates the start of the French Revolution with the storming of the Bastille. This is the month of the year when haying is at its height, and where crop circles begin to appear throughout the countryside. This is why the July full moon is often called the Hay Moon. This is also a time to destroy weeds before they go to seed, and when the bugs are at their worst. Sayings and folklore that are traditional for the month of July include “Ne’er trust a July sky”, “If ant hills are high in July, the coming winter will be hard”, “As July, so next January”, “No tempest, good July, Lest the corn look ruely”, and “Whatever July and August do not boil, September can not fry”. Moon: Hay Moon, Buck Moon, Blessing Moon, Horn Moon, Mead Moon, Summer Moon Zodiac: Cancer, Leo Element: Water, Fire Gender: Masculine Sabbat: N/A Deities: Khepera, Athene, Juno, Hel, Holda, Cerridwen, Nephthys, Venus Animals: crab, turtle, dolphin, whale, starling, ibis, swallow Nature Spirits: hobgoblins, faeries of harvested crops Trees: oak, acacia ash Colors: green, yellow, silver, blue-gray Flowers/Herbs: honeysuckle, agrimony, lemon balm, hyssop, lotus, water lily, jasmine, larkspur Crystals: carnelian, malachite, onyx, ruby, sapphire, spinel, red tourmaline, turquoise, pearl, moonstone, white agate Incense: orris, frankincense Characteristics, Influences, and Energies: dream work, light, magick, purpose, strength, relaxed energy, preparation, success, meditation

Sabbats

Following the Sabbats and Esbats are a very important part of a witches life. According to Raven Grimassis book The Wiccan Mysteries and Wiccan Magic following both is key to learning how to hear the voice of the wind. Where Sabbats are to honor the turning of the seasons and the Gods where no magic is normally worked, Esbats are the celebrations of the Lady and giving her honor and also when magic is worked by the coven. There are many books on Esbats and Moon Magic that you can check out, but the following is the basics that most witches use. Wolf Moon - January Storm Moon - February Chaste Moon - March Seed Moon - April Hare Moon - May Dyad (pair) Moon - June Mead Moon - July Wyrt (green plant) Moon - August Barley Moon - September Blood Moon - October Snow Moon - November Oak Moon - December Blue Moon - variable Wolf Moon (January) Also known as: Quiet Moon, Snow Moon, Cold Moon, Chaste Moon, Disting Moon, Moon of Little Winter Nature Spirits: gnomes, brownies Herbs: marjoram, holy thistle, nuts, cones Colors: brilliant white, blue-violet, black Flowers: snowdrop, crocus Scents: musk, mimosa Stones: garnet, onyx, jet, chrysoprase Trees: birch Animals: fox, coyote Birds: pheasant, blue jay Deities: Freyja, Inanna, Sarasvati, Hera, Ch'ang-O, Sinn Power Flow: sluggish, below the surface; beginning and conceiving. Protection, reversing spells. Conserving energy by working on personal problems that involve no one else. Getting your various bodies to work smoothly together for the same goals. Ice Moon (February) Also known as: Storm Moon, Horning Moon, Hunger Moon, Wild Moon, Red & Cleansing Moon, Quickening Moon, Solmonath (Sun Month), Big Winter Moon Nature Spirits: house faeries, both of the home itself and of house plants Herbs: balm of Gilead, hyssop, myrrh, sage, spikenard Colors: light blue, violet Flowers: primrose Scents: wisteria, heliotrope Stones: amethyst, jasper, rock crystal Trees: rowan, laurel, cedar Animals: otter, unicorn Birds: eagle, chickadee Deities: Brigit, Juno, Kuan Yin, Diana, Demeter, Persephone, Aphrodite Power Flow: energy working toward the surface; purification, growth, healing. Loving the self. Accepting responsibility for past errors, forgiving yourself, and making future plans. Storm Moon (March) Also known as: Seed Moon, Moon of Winds, Plow Moon, Worm Moon, Hrethmonath (Hertha's Month), Lentzinmanoth (Renewal Month), Lenting Moon, Sap Moon, Crow Moon, Moon of the Snowblind Nature Spirits: Mer-people, Air and Water beings who are connected with spring rains and storms Herbs: broom, High John root, yellow dock, wood betony, Irish moss Colors: pale green, red-violet Flowers: jonquil, daffodil, violet Scents: honeysuckle, apple blossom Stones: aquamarine, bloodstone Trees: alder, dogwood Animals: cougar, hedgehog, boar Birds: sea crow, sea eagle Deities: Black Isis, the Morrigan, Hecate, Cybele, Astarte, Athene, Minerva, Artemis, Luna Power Flow: energy breaks into the open; growing, prospering, exploring. New beginnings; balance of Light and Dark. Breaking illusions. Seeing the truth in your life however much it may hurt. Growing Moon (April) Also known as: Hare Moon, Seed or Planting Moon, Planter's Moon, Budding Trees Moon, Eastermonath (Eostre Month), Ostarmanoth, Pink Moon, Green Grass Moon Nature Spirits: plant faeries Herbs: basil, chives, dragon's blood, geranium, thistle Colors: crimson red, gold Flowers: daisy, sweetpea Scents: pine, bay, bergamot, patchouli Stones: ruby, garnet, sard Trees: pine, bay, hazel Animals: bear, wolf Birds: hawk, magpie Deities: Kali, Hathor, Anahita, Ceres, Ishtar, Venus, Bast Power Flow: energy into creating and producing; return balance to the nerves. Change, self-confidence, self-reliance, take advantage of opportunities. Work on temper and emotional flare-ups and selfishness. Hare Moon (May) Also known as: Merry or Dyad Moon, Bright Moon, Flower Moon, Frogs Return Moon, Thrimilcmonath (Thrice-Milk Month), Sproutkale, Winnemanoth (Joy Month), Planting Moon, Moon When the Ponies Shed Nature Spirits: faeries, elves Herbs: dittany of Crete, elder, mint, rose, mugwort, thyme, yarrow Colors: green, brown, pink Flowers: lily of the valley, foxglove, rose, broom Scents: rose, sandalwood Stones: emerald, malachite, amber, carnelian Trees: hawthorn Animals: cats, lynx, leopard Birds: swallow, dove, swan Deities: Bast, Venus, Aphrodite, Maia, Diana, Artemis, Pan, Horned God Power Flow: full creating energy; propagation. Intuition, contact with faeries and other supernatural beings. Strengthen connection with supernatural protectors and beings around you. Power flowing from the Greenwood Gods and trees. Mead Moon (June) Also known as: Moon of Horses, Lovers' Moon, Strong Sun Moon, Honey Moon, Aerra Litha (Before Lithia), Brachmanoth (Break Month), Strawberry Moon, Rose Moon, Moon of Making Fat Nature Spirits: sylphs, zephyrs Herbs: skullcap, meadowsweet, vervain, tansy, dog grass, parsley, mosses Colors: orange, golden-green Flowers: lavender, orchid, yarrow Scents: lily of the valley, lavender Stones: topaz, agate, alexandrite, fluorite Trees: oak Animals: monkey, butterfly, frog, toad Birds: wren, peacock Deities: Aine of Knockaine, Isis, Neith, Green Man, Cerridwen, Bendis, Ishtar Power Flow: full but restful energy; protect, strengthen, and prevent. A time of Light; Earth tides are turning. Decision-making, taking responsibility for present happenings. Work on personal inconsistencies. Strengthen and reward yourself for your positive traits. Hay Moon (July) Also known as: Wort Moon, Moon of Claiming, Moon of Blood (because of mosquitoes), Blessing Moon, Maedmonat (Meadow Month), Hewimanoth (Hay Month), Fallow Moon, Buck Moon, Thunder Moon Nature Spirits: hobgoblins (small, grotesque but friendly brownie-type creatures), faeries of harvested crops Herbs: honeysuckle, agrimony, lemon balm, hyssop Colors: silver, blue-gray Flowers: lotus, water lily, jasmine Scents: orris, frankincense Stones: pearl, moonstone, white agate Trees: oak, acacia, ash Animals: crab, turtle, dolphin, whale Birds: starling, ibis, swallow Deities: Khepera, Athene, Juno, Hel, Holda, Cerridwen, Nephthys, Venus Power Flow: relaxed energy; preparing; succeeding. Dream-work, divination, and meditation on goals and plans, especially spiritual ones. Corn Moon (August) Also known as: Barley Moon, Dispute Moon, Weodmonath (Vegetation Month), Harvest Moon, Moon When Cherries Turn Black Nature Spirits: dryads Herbs: chamomile, St. John's wort, bay, angelica, fennel, rue, orange Colors: yellow, gold Flowers: sunflower, marigold Scents: frankincense, heliotrope Stones: cat's eye, carnelian, jasper, fire agate Trees: hazel, alder, cedar Animals: lion, phoenix, sphinx, dragon Birds: crane, falcon, eagle Deities: Ganesha, Thoth, Hathor, Diana, Hecate, Nemesis Power Flow: energy into harvesting; gathering, appreciating. Vitality, health. Friendships. Harvest Moon (September) Also known as: Wine Moon, Singing Moon, Sturgeon Moon, Haligmonath (Holy Month), Witumanoth (Wood Month), Moon When Deer Paw the Earth Nature Spirits: trooping faeries Herbs: copal, fennel, rye, wheat, valerian, skullcap Colors: brown, yellow-green, yellow Flowers: narcissus, lily Scents: storax, mastic, gardenia, bergamont Stones: peridot, olivine, chrysolite, citrine Trees: hazel, larch, bay Animals: snake, jackal Birds: ibis, sparrow Deities: Demeter, Ceres, Isis, Nephthys, Freyja, Ch'ang-O, Thoth Power Flow: rest after labor; balance of Light and Dark. Organize. Clean and straighten up physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual clutter. Blood Moon (October) Also known as: Harvest Moon, Shedding Moon, Winterfelleth (Winter Coming), Windermanoth (Vintage Month), Falling Leaf Moon, Ten Colds Moon, Moon of the Changing Season Nature Spirits: frost faeries, plant faeries Herbs: pennyroyal, thyme, catnip, uva ursi, angelica, burdock Colors: dark blue-green Flowers: calendula, marigold, cosmos Scents: strawberry, apple blossom, cherry Stones: opal, tourmaline, beryl, turquoise Trees: yew, cypress, acacia Animals: stag, jackal, elephant, ram, scorpion Birds: heron, crow, robin Deities: Ishtar, Astarte, Demeter, Kore, Lakshmi, Horned God, Belili, Hathor Power Flow: to let go; inner cleansing. Karma and reincarnation. Justice and balance. Inner harmony. Blue Moon (October 27-November 1) Also known as: Moon of the Dead, Hunting Moon, Ancestor Moon, Hunter's Moon Nature Spirits: banshees and other beings who carry messages between worlds Herbs: ginger, hops, wormwood, hyssop, patchouli, mugwort, nutmeg, star anise Colors: black, white, purple Flowers: white lily, dahlia, chrysanthemum Scents: rosemary, dragon's blood, lilac, pine, wisteria Stones: obsidian, onyx, Apache tear Trees: pine, cypress, yew, elder Animals: bat, wolf, sow, dog, snake Birds: owls, raven, falcon Deities: Cybele, Circe, Hel, Nephthys, Cerridwen, Horned God, Caillech, Freyja, Holda Power Flow: release, remember; communion with the dead. Prophecy. Releasing old negative memories and emotions. Snow Moon (November) Also known as: Dark Moon, Fog Moon, Beaver Moon, Mourning Moon, Blotmonath (Sacrifice Month), Herbistmanoth (Harvest Month), Mad Moon, Moon of Storms, Moon When Deer Shed Antlers Nature Spirits: subterranean faeries Herbs: grains of paradise, verbena, betony, borage, cinquefoil, blessed thistle Colors: gray, sea-green Flowers: blooming cacti, chrysanthemum Scents: cedar, cherry blossoms, hyacinth, narcissus, peppermint, lemon Stones: topaz, hyacinth, lapis lazuli Trees: alder, cypress Animals: unicorn, scorpion, crocodile, jackal Birds: owl, goose, sparrow Deities: Kali, Black Isis, Nicnevin, Hecate, Bast, Osiris, Sarasvati, Lakshmi, Skadi, Mawu Power Flow: take root, prepare. Transformation. Strengthen communication with the god or goddess who seems closest to you. Cold Moon (December) Also known as: Oak Moon, Wolf Moon, Moon of Long Nights, Long Night's Moon, Aerra Geola (Month Before Yule), Wintermonat (Winter Month), Heilagmanoth (Holy Month), Big Winter Moon, Moon of Popping Trees Nature Spirits: snow faeries, storm faeries, winter tree faeries Herbs: holly, English ivy, fir, mistletoe Colors: blood red, white and black Flowers: holly, poinsettia, Christmas cactus Scents: violet, patchouli, rose geranium, frankincense, myrrh, lilac Stones: serpentine, jacinth, peridot Trees: pine, fir, holly Animals: mouse, deer, horse, bear Birds: rook, robin, snowy owl Deities: Hathor, Hecate, Neith, Athene, Minerva, Ixchel, Osiris, Norns, Fates Power Flow: to endure, die, be reborn; Earth tides turning. Darkness. Personal alchemy. Spiritual paths. Reach out to friends and family, the lonely and needy.

Fall seven times. Stand up eight

hymns and litanies

Isis and Set

sin for thee

Tuat and Chapters

truth and righteousness

goddess and thou

Astes or Astenu

turquoise or emerald

World and his

Lower and Upper

death and resurrection

Horus and Khepera

Truth and honour

Isis and Nephthys

personality and virility

Messengers or Assessors

bread and beer

Delta and there

Busiris and Governor

rotted and decayed

souls or spirit

abomination and horror

queen and her

sheets or strips

papyri and coffins

papyrus for funerary

Eastern and Western

mouth and nostrils

documents and monuments

Greeks and it

text and vignettes

god and Nut

being and thy

size and number

abodes and they

kinsfolk and friends

night and men

Sen and Guatep

8] for I

Thoth and there

thee and I

men and hast

HRU or Book

Thoth and Osiris

Neter or Under

truth before Horus

morning and evening

sons and Anubis

Osiris but they

Egyptians and Busiris

Hu and Saa

Anu or Heliopolis

type and symbol

vignettes and texts

Saïte; but it

men and women

adoration before Osiris

you and I

salt and my

Doors or Chapters

sahu or spiritbody

Dead and King

men and his

god and thy

shadows and hearts

offerings and happiness

Lady of Turquoise Review: Terrascope Online, February, 2020

A few albums into her recording career Cary, a lover of all things synth, cats and the furry freak brothers, has marshalled a crack troupe of regular musicians to call upon when it comes time to join her live and in recording in the studio. For this record it’s John Garden, Graham Clark, Andy Budge, David Payne, Steffe Sharpstrings, Victoria Reyes, Ian East, Steve Everitt and Andy Bole with Cary herself playing: synth, acoustic and eclectic guitar, vocals, organ plus a multitude of other keyboard devices. We have reviewed most of her releases to date and I’ve been looking forward to hearing this one and again it doesn’t disappoint.��

 Things kick off with “Khepera At Dawn”, a drifting, languid, opening instrumental song, full of great synth sounds and Steffe’s probing electric guitar. “Letterbox”, ups the pace a little bit; being more of a traditional rock song, plenty of wah wah guitar from John filling in all the spaces. “Without A Trace”, has a strong melody and a nice string arrangement, it features some beautiful piano from Victoria and some tasteful fluid lead guitar passages. Next up “Into Dust”, this song sees treated vocals, it’s a psychedelically tune with martial drums, dubby bass and churchy organ, ostensibly about life/death, ashes to ashes. 

Then we have a brief synth interlude before we enter the realm of the spoken word “Afterglow”, an excellent synth rock epic and continuing the sequence of each song getting slightly longer and more progressive in nature, this one being just over six minutes, favourite line “Having drinks with Baphomet at the end of the world”. “Film Noir”, is indeed a noir with saxophone, dripping with an icy cool. The first disc ends with the sublime twelve minutes of “Costume Jewellery”, an arabesque melody played by Graham on electric violin maps out the melody, slightly reminiscent of Kaleidoscope but with a ton more electric guitar and synth, excellent stuff. 

The second discs opens with “Moonflowers (fade to black)”, a slow burner of a song that showcases John’s atmospheric electric guitar, reminding me of David Gilmour’s style of playing mixed with a little Hillage. Then comes “Sacrifice”, a wonderful sly sardonic rock tune taken at a steady pace, featuring some terrific barely controlled electric guitar, great drifting organ and synth and a cooking rhythm section. “Memory”, slows things right down with a dreamy ballad it has a memorable melody before changing gear halfway through, before again winding down. “Castle Of Dreams”, brings a change of pace, a funky fuzzy wah wah piece of progressive psychedelia, eleven minutes of drifting, dreamy bliss. “The Land Of Two Fields” takes us out into the garden with a short instrumental piece on which the synth is highlighted to nice effect. This brings us to “Lady Of Turquoise” the final song and title track of this excellent double album, it has some amazing synth playing throughout, with plenty of bleeps and squiggles being both expansive yet contained and it motors along very nicely indeed, concluding with a couple of minutes of pure synth. Great album, highly recommended. 

 —Andrew Young, Terrascope Online (This review was originally published at: https://www.terrascope.co.uk/Reviews/Reviews_February_20.htm#CaryGrace)

Album Review: Cary Grace – ‘Lady of Turquoise’ (MUSOscribe)

Cary Grace has carved out a fascinating niche in the world of music. Though she got her start in the Nashville singer-songwriter community (she even had Vince Gill play on one of her early albums!), her chosen musical idiom couldn’t be farther from all that. An American expat currently living in the UK, Grace has two parallel careers. She runs Wessex Analogue, a boutique maker of Wiard brand hand-built analog synthesizers. Relatedly, she records and tours under her own name, making original progressive rock. She has released a number of albums, and in recent years has participated in some impressive busman’s-holiday endeavors (like a splendid cover of Pink Floyd’s “Fat Old Sun,” released on very limited-edition lathe-cut vinyl) and contributing to a superb Fruits de Mer compilation, The Three Seasons. But it’s her original music that remains the most compelling of all Grace’s endeavors. Her latest release is Lady of Turquoise. In keeping with her aesthetic of focusing on more than just the auido part, the album is beautifully packaged. But as ever, it’s really about the music. The sprawling, ambitious work extends across two CDs, and it’s perhaps Grace’s most fully realized collection to date. The first disc opens with the wonderfully languorous “Khepera at the Dawn,” and the influence of dreamy, laid-back space rock early-mid Pink Floyd is clearly in evidence. The tune bubbles along contemplatively – pretty much a one-chord affair – but it’s nonetheless warmly inviting and nicely textured. But Grace isn’t merely a purveyor of space-rock; she’s a skilled tunesmith, as evidenced by moody, atmospheric tracks like “Letterbox.” Her strong voice and impressive range are on brilliant display, but her band rocks, too; as “Letterbox” unfolds, squalls of wah-wah guitar work their way into the mix, eventually taking it over. Artists like Steven Wilson have taken exception to being labeled “progressive,” and one suspects that Grace might express similar sentiments. Though her music certainly has the scope and dimension of that rock subgenre, her foundation in song makes her work supremely accessible. Not to belabor the Floyd references, but in a real sense she’s about as prog as Waters-Gilmour-Mason-Wright. The vibe is there, but Grace’s work is as catchy and finely crafted as Steven Wilson’s (decidedly non-prog) To the Bone. “Without a Trace” is a lovely ballad with crystalline piano, soaring guitar leads, and sublimely double-tracked Grace lead vocals. The trippy “Into Dust” suggests early Jefferson Airplane crossed with Massive Attack, plus a dose of Hawkwind. Fans of space rock will luxuriate in the largely spoken-word “Afterglow.” Ian East’s wonderful saxophone work on “Film Noir” is a thing of beauty; it enhances an already superb tune. And the first disc concludes with an extended work, the windswept, world-vibe “Costume Jewellery.” The track effectively combines all of Grace’s musical assets – plus some fantastic musicianship by her associates – into a well-rounded tune that doesn’t waste a second of its twelve-plus minutes. Subtly redolent of some of The Church’s more exploratory works, it’s perhaps the best track on a uniformly enjoyable discs. Had she deigned to stop there, Cray Grace could have been satisfied, having created an excellent album of standard length. But perhaps the time spent on side projects resulted in a backlog of top-shelf original material. Regardless, the second disc of Lady of Turquoise offers up more impressive sonic goodies. “Moonflowers (Fade to Black” finds Grace’s vocals coexisting peacefully with what’s essentially a seven-minute John Garden guitar solo. The song’s glacial pace and Nick Mason-styled drum fills (courtesy of David Payne) provide the perfect backdrop for Grace’s steely yet gentle vocal, itself calling to mind Julie Driscoll (though I can’t put my finger on what about it reminds me of the latter). “Sacrifice” is – and this is meant in the best way possible – a radio ready track, with a strong melody, sultry vocal and solid beat. It heads pleasingly into the stratosphere multiple times across its ten-plus minutes, but Grace always brings things back to Earth. The moody, melancholy “Memory” slows the pace down a bit, though the track eventually unfolds to reveal a majestic arrangement before settling back into its quiet vibe. “Castle of Dreams” is a churning, swirling psychedelic number that suggests Steve Hillage. The brief “The Land of Two Fields” is a pastoral piece that nonetheless make excellent use of analog synths ; in fact it’s one of few “synthy” moments on Lady of Turquoise, underscoring that fact that Grace views the synthesizer as merely one in a very extensive collection of musical tools. The double album concludes with its title track, an assured rocker that – like “Costume Jewellery” that closes the first disc – tidily combines all of Cary Grace’s strengths and sets them on display. One suspects that this music is even more transcendent and emotionally resonant live onstage. For that, only UK and European audiences are likely to enjoy that privilege. But for the rest of us, the 2CD Lady of Turquoise is much more than a consolation prize.

—Bill Kopp, MUSOscribe 

Originally published here: http://blog.musoscribe.com/index.php/2020/01/09/album-review-cary-grace-lady-of-turquoise/