French Quarter – It’s Not Just Kissing LP (Gilgongo/Life’s Blood)
The first French Quarter LP has been my favorite release on the wild-pitch Gilgongo label since it began. I think I get where the guy is coming from, though, and it’s always good to see the work of a guy who’s doing exactly what he wants and thinks is right. This one is all over the place, with lots more treatment and embellishment than his stark debut, but focusing on the capture of the right mood. Opener “You Are Dead” is the best use of the Woods falsetto-and-no-more-tears sound I’ve heard yet, bringing it down to a humble, high-neck guitar melody and just enough barely-there, sensitive performance to rank in line with the late Elliott Smith. The addition of drum machine, bass and effects to many of these songs aim directly at an AM gold mindset, mostly to strong effect – there might be a bit too much actually going on in some of these tracks for a person with a lot of natural songwriting ability to require, but when it works, on the Christine McVie-like “I Really Want To Be Your Friend,” is utterly sublime, and the highlight on a record that displays a real talent in a mode of development. What comes out of the other side of this one should be astounding. This one is “Dedicated to Arthur Russell, Joel Hodgson and Jessica Tyler” – interesting company indeed. (http://www.gilgongorecords.com) (http://www.lifesblood.org)
(Doug Mosurock)
