Crow Goddess is the first CD released by a new group called Crow Women.  It is your basic pagan chat music, in this case used by these women in their circles.  There are 19 songs on it and a few of those seem to have been recorded in circle.  These songs give an overall earthy natural feel and you can clearly hear the sincerity of the women singing.  In addition to the girls’ voices, most of the songs are accompanied by very simple instruments.  Rattles, drums and clapping are common, and one beautiful tune, Healing Circle Song, is sung to the sound of a singing bowl.  Such inventiveness works in the girls favor and increases the appeal of the music.

The Hobliminal Ibloid, the name itself is intriguing.  At first, I thought of Hobstweedle--traces of Robert Plant’s beginnings.  The meaning of Hob’s name is quite interesting in its own origins, in that, there is a meaning yet there is not.  I was looking forward to doing this review just on the name alone.  I think I like Hob already. 

Not knowing quite what to expect, I dove right in.  The first song is called “Expectation”.  The filter sweep used at the beginning draws you right into the song.  This is a relaxing yet uplifting song.  The 80’s influence is easily recognizable.  While his influences were the Cocteau Twins and Simple Minds, this is evident in his works. 

“Good Friends” is another example of not knowing what to expect, except that you expect it to sound as good as the first song.  It does not disappoint.  The songs flow from one to another like a river flowing into different little individual streams.