Wow! This is a rather weird one. A collaboration between Jackson Phibes and The Agnostic Mountain Gospel Choir. Fermenting in the depths of Canada, probably hidden away in a remote shack, the coming together of Tom (Jackson Phibes) Bagley on electric guitar, lead and backing vocals, jaw harp and handclaps, Bob Keelaghan on acoustic guitars and lead and backing vocals, Vladimir Sobolewski on bass and vocals, and Jay Woolley percussion and backing vocals was obviously timely.
The bands influences are Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, Link Wray, psychobilly and garage rock. The subject matter of their ‘Campfire Tales’ is dark, dwelling upon murder, monsters madmen, and a good dose of classic horror.
So, what does it sound like? And is it any good? Answering the first question will also answer the second. Opening with the instrumental ‘A Match To the Kindling’, the band shows exactly what they’re about, and what their strengths are. There is a duelling interplay between Phibes and Keelaghan’s guitars, which pitches somewhere within the country blues genre, until the drum and bass come in, when things get really heavy, with a fuzzed out 60s vibe.
Track two, ‘Campfire Tales’ is equally monumental, a country/rockabilly schlock that pitches itself somewhere between ‘Ghost Riders in the Sky’ and Th’ Legendary Shack Shakers ‘Ichabod!’. The lyrics build a story, and the vocal style helps the atmosphere: - “Hearken to me, children, let’s hear some campfire tales/ For when the stars burn ancient, and when the trees grow pale/ The timber wolves are howlin’ and murder’s drippin’ with gore/ Surely nothin’ you aint heard a dozen times before.”
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As well as the storytelling, the band pull in a good line of instrumentals, with ‘Wild Night Company’ featuring highly, a surfabilly trash twang, this mixes the guitars with handclaps and adding a new depth to the genre, coming across as what Dick Dale might have recorded if he were a hillbilly horror freak.
‘Who Fears the Devil?’ is another top tune, telling the story of Isaac who wanted to raise the devil, well, of course, it all goes horribly wrong for him: - “Now he’s long gone, long gone/ A dead man’s song.” What makes this track is the blend of genres, the slide guitar giving a blues/country feel, although with garage rock overtones. The interchange with the twanging of the jaw harp - an instrument not usually found anywhere outside the hillbilly arena - is remarkable.
The album closes with the instrumental ‘Blind Ghost Moan’, a slow, atmospheric heavy fuzz-drenched blues with echoes and moans. So, is it any good? You bet! This is one of the best blends of some of my favourite musical styles and well worth getting hold of. It is now readily available in the UK, so go on, and treat yourself without reservation.
Buy Agnostic Phibes at CD Baby
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