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Widely considered a folk-rock group, here more than ever the Walkabouts appear to be forging their own sound. (Isn't rock music a folk music anyway?) Exploring similar lyrical themes to their last two records, this group of songs is more distilled, each song more individual. "The Anvil Song" starts the EP rocking, courtesy of new keyboardist Glenn Slater's rock and roll piano. The side gets more stripped as it goes along, ending with the acoustic lament "Medicine Hat."
Most of the songs are in minor keys, like minor-key folk ballads, but the only real folk ballad that they do is the second side opener, "Wreck of the Old No. 9," an Ozark tune which they do over a sonic gamut of acoustic verses through Sonic Youth-like noise. Most of the moods are pretty dour, but this is expressed in different ways, from train wrecks to the existentialism of ditch-digging (i.e., grave-digging) in "Last Ditch" ("the last ditch ever I dug, once there were motives but they have been lost"). The lyrics are Chris Eckman's they are sung by him and Carla Torgerson with an intensity to match the distorted guitars and momentum of bass and drums.
For a band whose songs express mortality ("Anvil Song," "Last Ditch," etc.) or running from some unnamed regret ("Ahead of the Storm"), they seem to be heading in the right direction. Let's hope they get there in time to make a full album of this caliber.
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The latest release from Seattle's best band does for the Walkabouts what Sub Pop's recent double-45 did for the Screaming Trees. 'Rag and Bone' encapsulates the different sides of the Walkabouts, and lays out their merits with no excess baggage.
Six songs and 24 minutes worth of knife-sharp jangle pop (the CD includes the excellent 'Cataract' LP), 'Rag and Bone' retains the individuality that prevents this group from having the accessibility of a 10,000 Maniacs. It's both their greatest asset and their greatest curse.
Carla Torgerson is the most visible member of the band, being featured on two-thirds of the songs, but newcomer Glenn Slater makes a strong impression. His ringing piano on 'The Anvil Song" adds a dimension the band has never had before. Chris Eckman's guitar and vocals on 'Ahead of the Storm' mix with Michael Wells' clip-clop bass to conjure up the West like a John Ford movie, and throws in the EP's best hook for good measure.
'Wreck of the Old #9,' produced by Steve Fisk, is the most arresting song on 'Rag and Bone,' doing for American folk what Fairport Convention did for British epics. The juxtaposition of sweet female vocals and torrid instrumental breaks sounds eerily like what Sandy Denny and Richard Thompson did on 'Tam Lin,' though the latter lacked a train wreck.
'Rag and Bone' isn't sugar coated enough to be a national breakout. But then, I'd rather see shows at the Central than the Arena.
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