I've no idea who Steve Abel is, and I can only garner so much from the cover of his new single release, which shows the slightly eccentric-looking bearded troubadour who is Mr Steve Abel wearing an impenetrable expression while sitting on the step in front of a somewhat ramshackle wooden-porched house which may or may not be in his native New Zealand.
The lead track isn't entirely gloomy, but is dark, and Abel's growl, which interplays with Jolie Holland's lighter, more melodic tones atop a sparse acoustic backing is in many ways reminiscent of Leonard Cohen around the time of 'New Skin for the Old Ceremony.'
It might not exactly be a laugh a minute, but it's compelling listening, with Abel coming on like some wise but disgruntled man of the world, particularly on 'Gone' which builds to a sweeping crescendo, before the mournful violin of 'Cinders of the Sun,' another duet with Jolie Holland closes the EP with a bittersweet country-tinged downbeat reflection, on which Abel notes 'you can't kiss the devil just for fun' and that there's 'blood and fire... and then you die.'
|
Dealing in such grim truths amd in such a dry fashion, I'm not sure I'd fancy joining Mr Abel for a drink, but I do rather like his directness.
|
