Big Dark Love - Murder By Death (2015)

Ten Years Gone: stuff that was in my January and February 2015 rotation

I’m not here to say anything bad about Murder By Death. It just so happens that their early album Red of Tooth And Claw is an all-timer favorite of mine. And it just so happens that they kept on recording after that. And it just so happens that I have never loved their later work quite as much as that 2008 outing. Nothing they’ve done since is bad; I’m not yelling “sellout” or anything; They’re a great band who released my personal favorite of their albums nearly 20 years ago. The “Elbow problem”, I guess I’d call it.

They continue, in evolving fashion, to take the haunting themes of the old, weird America and turn them into modern-day ruminations on life.

Tracks I Liked

Dream In Red - dark and mystifying; my favorite part of this band.

Solitary One - another banger

Last Thing - at once the poppiest and the most bluegrassy they get.