The Flaming Stars, Sunset & Void (Alternative Tentacles) 9+
The Flaming Stars are a real garage band. Not in the sense of that generic, vaguely post-mod, Nuggets style that is so popular right now. We're talking garage steeped in the Americana of 50s Elvis, western soundtracks, surf rock, The Velvet Underground and The Cramps. On their fifth album, former Gallon Drunk Max Décharné has taken tighter reigns on the songwriting after the somewhat slicker experiments on Walk on the Wired Side (2001). There's still plenty of nourish gloom and romantic tragedy, but the overall sound is more stripped down. Sunset & Void features two particularly delicate ballads in "Mansion House Blues" and "Five For The Road." But even the rockers are fairly low key. "Midnight Train" and "Killer In The Rain" simmer like Elvis with a dose of gothic dread. The maracas, marimba and harpsichord on "Mexican Roulette" recall the desert-baked mariachis of Calexico. The band takes the opportunity to rave on their surfabilly chops on "Baby Steps," which favors a shreddingly distorted guitar amidst tinkling ivories and acoustic accompaniment, and "Killjoy." "The Long Walk Home" is particularly impressive mood piece, with pounding bass and drums, menacing piano and handclaps. More mannered than their Songs from the Bar Room Floor (1996) and two singles collections, Sunset & Void is an enjoyably dark, gritty mood piece. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds fans who are impatient waiting for the band to get back to rocking are well advised to check out The Flaming Stars.
