Black Bordello’s sophomore album, White Bardo, is a daring sonic exploration of metaphysical realms, anchored by Sienna Bordello‘s powerful vocals and the band’s innovative sound. This nine-track collection is a journey through love, death, and the mysteries of existence, delivered with a blend of post-punk, avant-garde, and modern blues.
The vocals, reminiscent of both opera and jazz, lend the songs a theatrical and captivating quality. The instrumentation, meanwhile, is tight, crisp, and primal, providing a solid foundation for the band’s experimental approach.
The lead single ‘Nunhead’ is a playful saunter through themes of mortality and suburban life, drawing on personal reflections from the pandemic. Other tracks, like ‘Acid Mary’ and ‘Love Is A Joke’, blur the lines between allure and despair, while ‘1331’ and ‘Jupiter’ delve into themes of spirituality and cosmic wonder.
White Bardo is a bold step forward for Black Bordello, fusing philosophy, mythology, and personal catharsis into a thrilling and unpredictable listen. The album’s mix of ferocity and introspection makes it both emotionally resonant and endlessly captivating.
We’ll leave you with a final word from Sienna Bordello about the meaning behind the album’s title:
“And that’s why the album is called White Bardo. It’s a positive escape route that came about from negative occurrences. After failed therapy sessions, I learned Transcendental Meditation, Tibetan Buddhism, the Book of the Dead and started reading the Bhagavad Gita and essays on quantum physics. These texts as well as being in situations where I witnessed death first hand caused me to wonder about the temporary nature of this reality. It’s true that in hospices they know about the Bardo because they see people enter it and stay there for weeks on end. Neither dead nor alive. And sometimes in that space we see truly phenomenal things occur. You could enter it any time just by settling your mind. The Bardo is not a morbid place but rather a waiting room or an emancipatory space. Some things may have to end, but joy lies in the fact that more things come then begin.”
You can also find title-track ‘White Bardo’ in our Indie Rockers playlist.
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