Death Seat

Sometimes the man behind is , sometimes simply , and in the past, part of , but he's always , and he's always an uncompromising singer/songwriter. That remains true on this outing, which is the first album to appear on 's boutique label . In the past, the label has been known for freak-folk linchpin 's neo-hippie musings, but while the style remains an organic, lo-fi, acoustic-based sound, is nobody's hippie. He's influenced by the poetic side of the outlaw country camp, and more than anything, suggests what the dark country/folk visions of might have sounded like if the latter were born into the indie folk generation. Not that these moody, imagery-laden tunes have no contemporary reference points -- they could also be envisioned as a product of the evil twin of 's , or an alternate-universe version of , if his highness traded his collection for a library. Although is joined by a number of guests on , including members of , , and , the songs still conjure up a lonely world of dusty, wind-blown narratives from a troubadour doomed to roam the earth with nothing but his own mournful ballads for company. Even when deals in the kind of themes that would entail warm-and-fuzzy warbling in the hands of another artist, he turns things toward a deliciously dark and twisted path. On for instance, his approach to the subject of procreation brings the questions "What if we have a daughter who we can't trust?/What if we have a son and we hate his guts?" He even finds a way to turn heavenly symbols into something unwholesome, singing "Send me your benevolent angels/I'll make whores of them one by one" on In a less skilled writer's hands, this sort of thing might be off-putting, but with behind the wheel, makes for a weirdly wonderful ride. ~ J. Allen