JOHN Darnielle finds words, words and more poetic, if embittered, words for the long lost weekend in California.
Eleven years into his prodigious songwriting odyssey, the former psychiatric nurse pens 13 more lo-fi tales rooted in the minutiae of squalor, dysfunctional relationships, chocolate bars for breakfast, stinking flats and run-down hotels.
There are no love songs from this twisted romantic, and if Darnielle has rid himself of the tape-hiss that used to be a trademark of his home-made recordings, he still has plenty of heartbreaking hiss in his highly literate depiction of the nightmares of suburban life.
One drawback springs up: Darnielle does not match his Dylanesque powers of speech with a broadness of arrangements, and so We Shall All Be Healed lacks a change of pace and is too reliant on his vigorous folk guitar. Bob Dylan had better tunes too.
Updated: 08:35 Thursday, March 11, 2004
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article