Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan first got together for the 2006 folk/country/ slice of Americana inspired Ballad of Broken Seas. I had no idea who Isobel Campbell was and later found out she was some sort of folk music Goddess. Mark Lanegan used to sing for The Screaming Trees back in the nightmare days of grunge and had gone the solo route with some success. His 40 Marlboro’s a day voice mixed with Campbell’s songwriting skills and silky smooth voice made Ballad… a pretty cool surprise and even though the album seemed to go on for a bit too long, there were some terrific songs on it.

So anyway, history lesson out of the way, this year the duo released their second album Sunday at Devil Dirt. Right at the outset I have to say that it’s an improvement on the debut. Lanegan’s sandpaper rough voice has never sounded better and Campbell’s arrangements complement the voice superbly. The songs are all mid-paced, countrified tales of lust, loss, regret and similar happy themes.

Sunday at Devil’s Dirt sees the duo expanding on the musical themes of the debut with Lanegan’s voice now taking centre stage and Campbell seemingly content with harmonizing and providing occasional backing vocals. While Lanegan has a tendency on his solo albums to sound utterly morose and depressing (check out Whiskey for the Holy Ghost or The Winding Sheet), the arrangement stops the album from becoming a mournful dirge. I would have been a bit happier if Campbell was singing more on the album but as it stands, the songs work well. When Campbell finally does vocals on the slow burning steel guitar led Shotgun Blues the result is nothing short of superb.

Album opener Seafaring Song sets the tone for the album with its sparse arrangements and Lanegan’s baritone while The Raven is a mournful acoustic dirge that could have done with some vocals from Campbell. When the duo get together to sing, like on Who Built the Road and Come on Over (Turn Me On), the results are sublime. Keep Me in Mind Sweetheart and Something to Believe change the mood from one of despair to hope before Trouble and Sally Don’t You Cry end the album on the same sparse, mournful note that it started on.

There’s a sense of cinematic drama to this music. Almost like a soundtrack that could work for a Spaghetti Western or film noir. Some sounds bring forth a visual image of a dusty smoky saloon for cowboys, while the strangely disconcerting blues crawl of Backburner could have been used on Alan Parker’s Angel Heart.

I’m not sure if the regular kvltsite reader is going to like this. Still, if you’re familiar with Lanegan’s solo stuff you probably have this one all ready and if you’re not but don’t mind the occasional soft album then you can do a lot worse than giving Sunday at Devil’s Dirt a chance.



Label - v2
Year of Release - 2008