"Xyra & Verborgen don't sound much like the other bands who play D.C.'s rock clubs - and that's not only because of Xyra Harper-Cann's classically trained voice. The local ensemble's "Where Glass Birds Fly" is rooted in Goth-punk and art-rock, notabl [+]"Xyra & Verborgen don't sound much like the other bands who play D.C.'s rock clubs - and that's not only because of Xyra Harper-Cann's classically trained voice. The local ensemble's "Where Glass Birds Fly" is rooted in Goth-punk and art-rock, notably the quieter side of Siouxsie and the Banshees and the more melodic songs of Nico . . . As titles like "Prometheus Scatters Ashes and "Ancient Incubus" signal, Harper-Cann doesn't exactly write kick-out-the-jams material. Such verses as "Onyx cigarette holder, in a white gloved hand/Like a Lautrec painting/Or a bright cabaret band" suit Harper-Cann's meticulous vocals and the band's style, which draws on chamber music and European cafe songs."
Mark Jenkins - The Washington Post, The Weekend Section
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"They call their singular style "Cabaret Rock Nouveau," a fitting description for the dense, unexpected, challenging songs that remain nonetheless toe-tapping when need be. While the band maintains a charmingly retro stance, they also embrace the current technology, being all over the Web."
David Nuttycombe, Washington City Paper.com - from interview feature: the "POP Quiz"
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"The [debut] album [Where Glass Birds Fly] is musically intricate and produced with care and vision. Orchestration highlights both the instrumentalists' individual- and combined-talents. Strings, woodwinds and percussion work well together to provide a solid foundation for Xyra's vocals but provide equally compelling musical statements on their own. With a firm footing in the classics, the instrumental movements remain highly accessible and without classical pretentiousness . . .
Overall, this is an outstanding album that demonstrates the true virtuosity of a talented group of songwriters and musicians. Instead of covering old ground, the music begins where others have left off and explores future themes with heartfelt emotive lyrics and vocals as well as outstanding instrumental orchestration."
Russell Elliot - Our World, New Musical Discoveries
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