4ZZZ

I have been listening to an album called Wrong side Of Memphis and it rather left field to say the least. I have only given it a couple of plays so am not really able to give it a proper review but it has been interesting to say the least.

he sounds to me like what Nick Cave could have been like if he had been raised in the southern state of the USA and said Y'all. Spooky murder lyrics sung in a Daniel Johnstone style. A kind off mix of southern goth folk, blues and country.

Anyone heard of this oddball performer?

jackhammer

Not me but it sounds like it warrants a listen at the very least.

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Janszoon

Yup. I have three of his albums but I have to say I still have kind of a hard time with his voice. I know he really did grow up in Texas but his accent still sounds incredibly put-on and hard to get past. "Big Wave" is great song though.

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4ZZZ

Coming your way. I am interested in your thoughts once you get around to listening to it. It is challenging to say the least.

An interesting comment. Cultural cringe on your part? I relate to that with Australian soap operas that are in my humble opinion garbage of the extreme kind. The Brits seem to lap 'em up

I actually have no issue with his voice as I guess it sounds rather raw and rural hence his appeal. I have to say that I am liking the album a fair bit. Wrong Side Of Memphis is a lo fi production of the extreme kind and of course, as you have mentioned, his voice is one that takes some getting used to but I like that to be honest. I have had a life time of rock voice and to be honest am sick of that. This is earthy and interesting for that. Have you ever heard Daniel Johnstone? Though different there is a similar outsider feel if you get my meaning. Daniel Johnstone meets Forrest Gump.

The first track, Murder, sounds like an old blues 78". An odd start but it sucked me in.

Ft Worth Texas is a great track. The lyric is fantastic, he murders his girl friend and this song is his lament. "I dream Of her all day" he drawls. Love it!
That to me is the key to the entire album. The lyrics and the rural simplicity of it all.

I have looked for some of his other albums. No record shop in Brisbane has any and can not even get them in so I am stuck in that regard. I tried a torrent and got a rather poorly uploaded version of Pictures From Life's Other Side but three of the tracks are faulty and the rest are tagged badly. From what little I have heard so far there is a band and the production values are cleaner. I am interested as to what you have.

So would I recommend it to the uninitiated? Yes if one is daring and no if you are one of the common or garden Rock or Indy lovers that seem to be the majority. It is too far left field for you.

Janszoon

I'm not sure if "cultural cringe" is the right term, since I'm from a part of the US that's probably culturally more similar to Canada than it is to Texas. For a frame of reference of what bugs me about his voice just imagine an Australian singer who sings with an extremely fake and exaggerated sounding, almost to point of being cartoonish, backwoods accent. It's just hard to take seriously. And the guy has lived in in upstate New York for ages so, even though he's originally from Texas, I doubt that accent is totally for real.

One thing I definitely admire about that album is that he recorded it by himself in his kitchen. As someone involved in home recording, I find that really inspirational.

I'm not familiar with Daniel Johnstone. I'd be interested in hearing him. I usually actually like unusual voices, Johnny Dowd is just the rare exception that I have a hard time getting past.

I'd be more than happy to hook you up with Pictures From Life's Other Side and Temporary Shelter if you're having trouble finding them. IMHO, both of those albums are far better than Wrong Side of Memphis. Just be forewarned that they have a pretty different sound from the first album, not as rootsy, more in the vein of 70s era Iggy Pop or something.

After this conversation I'll probably have to give them another spin myself.

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4ZZZ

Not sure they fake it too much in Australia. Some of the more well known Country singers, say Slim Dusty for example who was a bush icon here, sung as they spoke, so we tended to get used to it. I think that the big difference is that the US is a big country in terms of population with, as you said, cultural differences between the states. It is not like that here. 95% of people speak with the same accent and it can be hard to tell what part of the country someone comes from unless they tell you. But I understand your point. I guess his accented vocal just seems interesting to me.


Love to get them off you when you can. I can give you a very interesting album by Daniel Johnstone called The Late Great Daniel Johnstone: Discovered Covered. allmusic review = allmusic ((( The Late Great Daniel Johnston: Discovered Covered > Overview )))
Bear in mind that he is a bit different musically and the reference was for the vocal delivery only. Let me know.

jackhammer

I agree with Janszoon a little on this. The accent seems to overpower the music at points which is a damn shame as the 'gothic country' sound is excellent. the vocals may grow on me but if people are into stuff like Nick Cave should check this guy out. They don't sound similar but they employ a similar asthetic.

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4ZZZ

The aesthetics of the goth lyrics was actually my point in the OP with Cave as a reference point but you knew that.


I understand that the vocal style would put a fair few off. In fact 99.9% of the listening public who are open to something different I would suggest. I dread to think what the more conservative types would say.

But that is not an issue for me. After as many years of listening to music I need to be challenged at times and this has been a good one for that. I am liking the album a fair bit more with a few plays. I have acquired the taste

Janszoon I have played Pictures From Life's Other Side a couple of times now but not yet Temporary Shelter. Pictures From Life's Other Side is as you said a cleaner sound and more produced. Not sure that I like that as much as Wrong Side of Memphis as that seems a fresher sound but I have not played it enough so time will tell.

Bulldog

I'm always on the lookout for some interesting new sounds, and this guy sounds really intriguing. Never heard of him before, but I'll get me an album and post back here about it in the near future.

Janszoon

I knew this guy's name sounded familiar. I was just googling around trying to find more information about him and I stumbled across the movie The Devil and Daniel Johnston which I remember reading good reviews of when it came out. Now I'll definitely have to watch it.

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A Night in the Life of the Invisible Man

Time & Place

25 Albums You Should Hear Before the Moon Crashes into the Earth and We All Die

last.fm