THE DOOMED BIRD OF PROVIDENCE – The Doomed Bird Of Providence (CD, Laily Recordings)
Posted: July 1st, 2009, by JGRAMDespatched dark and dusty, a small part of the Australian outback has found itself transplanted and captured in London for this release.
Almost like a post-rock (spit!) take on Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds soliciting The Pogues with a little pinch of the Tiger Lillies this is a true soup of string drenched compositions being pierced by jarring Australian vocals sung in a near shanty style about topics such as murder and honour amongst thieves. The orchestration of the songs is such that you find yourself removed from your surroundings and driven to hell. If you have ever been to Australia and felt miniscule when faced by the darkness of nothing but hot stinking hateful territory then this is where this music is at. Flight Of The Conchords this most definitely is not (bloody Kiwis).
Of the four songs on offer the epic “Dorothy Handland” with its extended instrument section at dusk would not feel out of place sitting on a Dirty Three record.
As the release draws to a brooding conclusion it is with a sadness echoed by none and a future that feels uncertain depending on the conduct going forward of the band that judging by the lyrics may or may not scupper their fortunes. Personally I await their return/response with real anticipation.
It’s not only the bird that feels doomed at the outset of this record.
You call that a knife?
Thesaurus moment: guilty.
JGRAM
JGram, friend of the stars, chartered accountant and pie enthusiast, likes nothing better than KICKING YOUR SKINNY ASS by way of a carefully-timed half-nelson followed by the CLOTHES LINE! OW! So never, never cross him. His dog Snowy is equally rockhard and will bite your lim bs off in the blink of an eye. And then paw your eyes out for blinking when he's biting you.