Biography
The project of a Seattle, WA artist named Jon Turnbow, Alien City released one self-titled LP in a very limited pressing of 500 copies in 1979 that had been five years in the making. Sounding like a quirky blend of "Aladdin Sane" era glam (a bit of Bowie, a bit of Lou Reed, and maybe a bit more out of left field than either) Alien City's debut release was in fact a somewhat bewildering concept album that is described as "a song cycle…around the incarnation of Celestial Visitors to this planet."
Recently rediscovered and released back into the world via various mp3 blogs, Alien City is nevertheless a musical message worthy of a second chance.
"Alien City was composed over a period of five years. It is a song cycle of epic proportions centering around the incarnation of Celestial Visitors to this planet. They take youthful bodies with the soul mission off increasing the intelligence of the human race. Alas, in their compassionate endeavors they become trapped in the pernicious web of the world and their aim becomes warped and sarcastic. In taking mortal bodies they lose their reference point, their center of gravity, and they eventually become as depraved and stupified as the very people they initially intended to illuminate. There is no story line; no characters are introduced. The work is arranged in four movements." – Liner notes
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