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Known as “The Clobberer,” he pounded out driving rhythms that fueled the band’s boisterous blend of traditional Irish music, rock and punk.

I remember seeing The Oracle at Great Lakes Dungeon Siege in 2024. The Oracle’s set came between Mors Vitaque and Jenn Taiga. For anyone unfamiliar with dungeon synth, these three acts stretch and bend the fabric of perceived aesthetics through their immersive music. The Oracle, a ritual electronics project, was perhaps the loudest and most aggressive set of the entire weekend, blending industrial, noise, and psychedelia into an experience that starts at the feeling of unease. You feel you are being swallowed by the atmosphere as noise, smoke, darkness, and lights act as catalysts for transformation.

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If you look at The Oracle’s Bandcamp page, you will see many releases with conceptual foundations. Even the splits, which take up the majority of recent work, are dedicated to an idea or story. I feel this series of splits and collaborations set the stage for Parousia, The Oracle’s latest album. Following six years of work with others, Parousia is a return to the concept of the messianic figure that lays in the center of The Oracle’s legendarium. Parousia, in Christian theology, usually refers to the second coming of Jesus Christ, but can refer to any “coming” or “arrival” of a figure. The promotional material for the album states that Parousia follows a messianic character newly resurrected after an intermittent absence in a tomb. It takes the listeners a few moments to get the vibe of this arrival, which is anything but calm.

The Oracle presents a juxtaposition between religion and unsettling noise. For as much as the two have been done by other artists, The Oracle retains a command on the narrative by not succumbing to basic religious mockery. Religion and rituals are very much at the center of The Oracle’s world as points of interest rather than rebellion. They are presented, without commentary, in high contrast and uncomfortable volumes for the listener to draw conclusions. There is a world of words one could write about the creator’s relationship to religion and faith and I even asked The Oracle about it in correspondence. Parousia feels like it can be experienced without knowing all the answers, and perhaps it’s better without them. It is an accomplished record which says so much in the space of things not said–that of terror and ecstasy and the overlapping space between.

Surrender yourself to the void for all of the answers.  

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Parousia releases tomorrow.

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Legendary guitarist and songwriter Steve Cropper is the subject of a newly released tribute video reflecting on his 2012 studio collaboration with singer-songwriter Sheri Miller on her song “I Could Love You Still.”

The collaboration took place in 2012, when Cropper recorded electric guitar for Miller’s soul ballad at the invitation of producer and bassist Will Lee. The session was not planned as a high-profile pairing, and Cropper joined simply because he connected with the song. According to Miller, he approached the recording by listening closely to the lyrics and shaping his part around the emotional core of the music.

In a personal essay, Miller described Cropper’s presence in the studio and his dedication to serving the song. “At a point in his life when Steve had nothing left to prove,” she writes, “he still showed up whole-heartedly, bringing his full presence and care to a piece of music simply because it spoke to him.” She also noted that the arpeggiated guitar part she originally wrote for the song had been influenced by the R&B and soul music she grew up with, much of it shaped by Cropper’s playing.

Reflecting on the experience years later, Miller shared, “If I ever dared to imagine, in my craziest, wildest dreams, the exact legend who was part of the DNA of my song would years later record and play his electric guitar, overdubbing my part, my jaw would’ve dropped in sheer awe. It was wildly surreal and deeply affirming…a quiet conversation across time.”

Miller’s essay and video present a portrait of Cropper that focuses on his musicianship and character rather than revisiting familiar highlights of his career. “What I appreciate most now,” she writes, “isn’t the big names attached to the recording, but how Steve masterfully approached the art of song. His overwhelming generosity. His clear attentiveness. His acceptance of me as an equal, respected collaborator in the studio. His powerful belief that the song always comes first.”

The newly re-edited tribute video for “I Could Love You Still” features previously unseen studio photos alongside archival images from throughout Cropper’s career. Rather than positioning the release as a reissue, the video highlights the original session and its atmosphere, emphasizing Cropper’s restraint, musical sensitivity, and commitment to craft.

Listening back to the recording, Cropper’s performance stands out for its subtlety. There are no flashy flourishes or attention-grabbing solos. Instead, his guitar work moves through the song with precision, responding to the vocal phrasing and leaving space where needed.

“I Could Love You Still” has become one of Miller’s signature recordings. She has built a career centered on traditional songwriting craft, soulful vocals, and emotional storytelling, most recently showcased on her acclaimed EP, Waking Up To This Miracle Life.

The tribute video reframes the song as a document of a rare creative moment, preserving a glimpse of Cropper’s musical approach later in his career. Closing her reflection, Miller writes, “I felt his genius, honored that I was sitting at the foot of a master.”

The post Rare Steve Cropper recording reborn through tribute video appeared first on Blues Rock Review.