Soulsavers preview
Double Door, Chicago
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Despite the weight of his contributions, Soulsavers is not Mark Lanegan. It’s nothing to do with Greg Dulli either, though the English group’s noir-rock feel is a sister sound and thus why Lanegan seems so integral to their music.
Rich Machlin and Ian Glover must like alleyways after a midnight rainstorm. Broken (Columbia), the duo’s latest collaboration-happy effort, leaves no dingy rut unchecked in its search for redemption, and Lanegan’s gravelly howl once again is its guide. In scope, the album frequently feels like a musical with co-stars (Will Oldham, Mike Patton, Gibby Haynes, Richard Hawley, Spiritualized’s Jason Pierce) popping in, and even a Lanegan/Rosa Agostino (of Red Ghost) duet on “Rolling Sky” that conjures Tricky and Martina Topley-Bird (another Dulli fave) while hovering over a Massive Attack bassline. But this is the anti-“Little Shop Of Horrors,” because all the blood’s been sucked out of everyone and made unavailable to an alien plantform. “You’ll Miss Me When I Burn” has the cadence of a Nick Cave-penned suicide note complete with Cave’s fondness for choirs. With a cast like this “upbeat” becomes a relative turn, but Oldham (appearing as Bonnie “Prince” Billy) sounds positively resplendent on the closing “Sunrise” — if Lanegan assumes this task on tour, bring your cameraphone.
Lanegan and Agostino will be on hand to replicate their roles, as for the rest you can expect Soulsavers brought some understudies for the roadtrip.
Red Ghost and Jonneine Zapata open.
— Steve Forstneger
Click here to download “You Will Miss Me When I Burn.”
Category: Stage Buzz, Weekly
