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Album Review

Cass McCombs
Catacombs Domino Records

Article written by Ged M - Jun 15, 2009

Cass McCombs: Catacombs

Good pun but not the best choice of title, when you think that a catacomb is a subterranean cemetery, full of dry and dead things. And this folky Americana sadly falls into this category. This seems to have lost the life that was in previous album Dropping The Writ, since it’s sparse alt-country, stripped down to voice, guitar, the brush and splash of drums and an occasional tinkle of piano. It starts well enough with ‘Dreams Come True Girl’ in the fashion of a folky Sam Cooke, although when Karen Black starts singing – she was Grammy nominated 35 years ago but that was half her lifetime ago and it shows – it starts becoming painful. And it continues in the same delicate, de-energised vein for every song, with his lyrics being too impressionistic to take your mind off the laidback delivery. That’s all set into stark context by ‘Lionkiller Got Married’, the most intriguing song musically and lyrically, with its military beat and odd lyrics: “I said ‘see you next Tuesday’ in the English way”.

I consulted our previous reviews and was reminded how none of his EPs and albums ever sounds the same or takes the same influences. Which gives hope that Catacombs is a passing phase as it sadly has little to keep you listening.

Links:
http://www.cassmccombs.com/
http://www.dominorecordco.com/artists/cass-mccombs/
http://www.myspace.com/cassmccombs