A series of Born to Run rockers, violin-laced pop songs, and melancholy ballads dot the proverbial cityscape, resulting in a vivid jaunt through the late-night streets. More than ever, Bejar seems to have embraced his inner actor, reading/singing his literate lines and unfurling drama after drama as the music serves his storytelling.
"Girl in a Sling" is a world-weary, post-suburban sigh. A sort of "Send in the Clowns," center-stage soliloquy from the streetwise bard. Few writers and vocalists could pull off something like this, as Bejar was made for the song's brilliant, lovelorn breakdown. He writes about women with keen insight and wry humor, but often overlooked is his reach for empathy, which is explicitly stated here: I know what you're going through, I'm going there too.
Other tracks share in this sophisticated musical theater. The second half of "Hell is an Open Door" sounds like a big-stage awakening, the lead's change in direction stirring plucky resolve just before the third act. "Bangkok" is the sad, solitary crooner's tale, the city lights blinking in the background, while the stagehands scurry to transition from one set piece to another. "The Sun in the Sky" is postlude, everyone back on stage to witness the new world with new eyes. All of the songs on Poison Season sound carefully crafted but well-traveled, bound to hold up under years of listening, not unlike the best moments from Broadway.
Finally, it should be noted that "The River" wishes its flutes were played on 80s soft-rock stations, but instead will have to settle for one of The D Man's favorite deep cuts from 2015. When the wannabe guitar solo is buried in horns, and the gentle piano emerges to close out the song, well, send me off now. This is Destroyer.
No comments:
Post a Comment