Neil Gaiman’s Hidden Gem

What can be said about Neil Gaiman that hasn’t already been said? A beloved, award-winning author who has seemingly conquered the worlds of literature and film, Gaiman has become an institution for lovers of all things fantasy. From his groundbreaking work in comics and graphic novels to his actual novels, Gaiman has captured the imagination of millions of readers, and deservedly so.

In April 2023, Gaiman released an album with the Fourplay String Quartet. It debuted at the top of Billboard’s classical crossover chart. However, save for superfans of Gaiman and quirky classical music, most people haven’t had the chance to check out Signs of Life. This journey began all the way back in August of 2010. It was then that the quartet first collaborated with Gaiman. The unlikely partners performed at the inaugural Graphic Festival at the Sydney Opera House. The quartet composed a 70-minute accompaniment to Gaiman’s novella The Truth is a Cave in the Black Mountains. They spent the next 12 years creating new pieces and soundscapes, which led to the album Signs of Life.

The Fourplay String Quartet was formed in 1995 and is renowned for playing music that wasn’t typical of your average string quartet. Indeed, their debut album contained covers of songs from groups ranging from Rage Against the Machine to Radiohead. The members of Fourplay include brothers Tim Hollo (violin and viola), Peter Hollo (cello), Lara Goodridge (violin and vocals), and Shenzo Gregorio (viola). Fourplay considers themselves, first and foremost, an Australian band. Despite being formally trained in classical composition, they play an eccentric form of rock music. Some of which contain influences that represent the Jewish heritage of three of the members.

As far as the album itself, in my humble opinion, these people have created a quirky masterpiece. It’s a testament to the creativity of all involved. Every time you listen to it, the album takes on new meaning and offers up new secrets to the listener. I am hesitant to use words like whimsical, but it’s whimsical as hell without being sweet or silly. This is a thinking or feeling person’s recording from beginning to end. The first single from the album, along with the accompanying music video, is titled “Bloody Sunrise.” The song details the story of a female vampire searching for love who always ends up disappointed with the coming of the sunrise. Gaiman also jokingly stated that the song could be about what happens when you Google an ex. The song feels almost like mid-sixties pop. The female vocals are poignant, and the song takes a turn when Gaiman himself comes in on the vocals during the chorus. Both the words and music of this particular song were written by Neil Gaiman himself. This is not much of a stretch, though, as Gaiman was a lead vocalist for a punk band in his native England during his late teens. (His rock and roll fantasy came to an end one night when he was unceremoniously hit in the head with a full beer during a performance. Later, while cleaning the blood from himself, he decided that writing would be a far safer prospect.)

One of the things that seemed obvious to me about this recording at first listen was that each of these people is in love with what they do, and they are in love with what each person brings to the table. The words and music seem to come from somewhere else and complement each other perfectly. The subtlety, nuance, and skill involved in this album are truly staggering. Most of the album is spoken word accompanied by the quartet, but this isn’t your dad’s version of classical. Every note buoys up every word in a cascade of sound that can truly transport you somewhere else. Gaiman’s voice is a large part of the other-worldly feel of the album. As far as his words… it’s Neil Gaiman. Everything he writes somehow becomes epic with an insouciance that cannot be taught. You either have that kind of swagger or you don’t. From the introspective tracks like “Clock” and “Mobius Strip” to the tongue-in-cheek nature of “Song of the Song,” each track brings something fresh and new to the listener’s ears. Gaiman’s brilliant manner in which he can turn a phrase is downright startling on a track such as “Credo.” Put this on with headphones and consider each word that the author utters. Even though it was released a little over a year ago, this is an album of transformation and hope. One can’t help but be won over by Gaiman’s words and the FourPlay String Quartet’s instrumentation. In a world of seethrough fake artists, work this pure is groundbreaking and an absolute gift. •