Boney Earnest's Suburban Hilltop Tent Revue

Tuesday, March 07, 2006 ... 10:42 AM

The Flood

"The Fox Confessor" is a Russian fairy tale in which a vengeful lady fox coaxes a rooster down from a tree with the threat of eternal damnation. I found it by searching inside books at amazon.com.

"O holy mother fox, your mouth is as honey, your words are kind, your tongue is sweet! But will you save me if you devour my body?" "I do not want your body nor your colored garment. I want to pay you back an old favor."

Fox Confessor Brings the Flood is the Neko Case record that hits shelves today. As if I need to tell you. I've got four of its 12 tracks on my cheap little iPod. At least two are masterpieces, frame-worthy. They glow serene at the surface, and their currents are troubled and bottomless. The upright bass tumbles, guitars twang and sway in the 'verb. It's all woodsmoke velvet and marbled mirrors, a feel similar to Blacklisted -- which is really all that I'd hoped for. But these songs are more natural in their space, sure-footed in the dark. Or more than that, the songs seem to have grown out of their space, which suggests a long incubation period. And much has been made in the current press blitz about the three-year production span of this record, but these songs sound not so much fussed-over as lived-in. They are wood-paneled rooms with the blinds down. It's like spending time in the Buried Child house. There's corn growing out back, and God knows what else.

Nickels and dimes on the fourth of July
roll off in a crooked line
to the chain-link lots where the red-tails dive
Oh how I forgot what it's like ...

(If I'm hearing that right.)

Man, I'm dying to listen to the other eight songs. We Earnests are in the midst of moving house, but the Tent Revue will return shortly with a full write-up on both the record and Neko's show at the Variety, for which we already have tickets. And yeah, the rest of my God-damn top 10. Meanwhile, hurry up and download last month's Grand Ole Opry featuring Elvis Costello, Emmylou Harris, Gillian Welch & David Rawlings: Dimeadozen.org

Brendan

2 Comments:

After my first few listens, I'm stunned at how good this album is, from top to bottom. You're right, Boney, it has the same feel as Blacklisted, but her songwriting and vocal control are better than ever.

I can't wait to hear what you think after you get a chance to listen to the whole thing in your nice new nest.

By Anonymous, at 3/09/2006 3:33 PM

B Earnest is a Fox Confessor googling God! And all around nice person, I am sure. My apologies for any oversight in acknowledging your link (see my response to your comment on sheenavision)

By Sheena, at 3/20/2006 5:09 PM