Mark Lanegan shines on the most diverse album I’ve heard all year. Similar to almost any Tom Waits album, Soulsavers’ It’s Not How Hard You Fall, It’s the Way You Land wasn’t immediately accessible to me. It deserves to be heard in the dark, with eyes shut, and no distractions. It’s part gospel, part electronic, very dark, and very biblical. It’s also quite good.
The album starts off with the gospel tune ‘Revival,” which actually stunned me. I was a big Screaming Trees fan in the 90’s and enjoyed all of Lanegan’s solo records since their breakup, but I somehow forgot the power of his voice. “Revival” is followed with more biblical references on songs like “Spiritual” and “Kingdoms of Rain.”
Bonnie “Prince” Billy, aka Will Oldham, also makes an appearance backing Lanegan’s vocals on “Through My Sails.” It’s the most delicate song on the album and sits in stark contrast to the two up-tempo tracks starting off the record, “Ghosts of You and Me” and “Paper Money.” The rest of the album is rounded out with electronic and instrumental tracks and a cover of the Stones’ “No Expectations.”
If you are a die-hard Mark Lanegan fan, don’t rush to hear him on the next Soulsavers record (not in the near future anyway). Soulsavers is an ever-evolving band with Rich Machin and Ian Glover acting as the only two permanent members. They intend to stay nimble in creating Soulsavers sound and invite artists of all shapes, sizes and influences to keep creativity flowing into the collective. If the cast of characters remains this solid, I’ll be a steadfast follower.
Soulsavers – “Revival” Video
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Soulsavers – “Kingdoms of Rain” Video
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Phew, intense videos. I’m digging on them. I really like the Johnny Cash influence on Kingdoms of Rain.
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