Murder By Death

There aren’t enough storytellers around today so to find a collection of musical stories with the power and sheer dynamism of this album and for it to be coupled with first class musicianship is absolutely wonderful.

Murder By Death take the soulfulness of Johnny Cash, the doleful bleakness of Nick Cave and the louche decadence of Tom Waits and imbue their particular take on Americana with a completely unique sound and vision.

From the single 'Boy Decide’, Sarah Balliet’s cello and Adam Turla’s shrieking guitar underpinning his own impassioned vocals, they swing directly into 'One More Notch’, all skittering cymbals and vocals and all the way to the bittersweet whimsy of 'The Devil Drives’ there isn’t a single predictable moment on the album. 'Dynamite Mine’ feels and smells of the poor souls lost in the mine, 'Sometimes the Line Walks You’ with its tale of a 'win some / lose some’ sheriff, these are songs of sin, guilt, biblical redemption and loss, painting a totally unique vision of 'middle-Amerika’. Gothic in its range and seemingly equally fuelled by bourbon and righteous indignation the listener can dip into 'In Bocca Al Lupo’ at any point and find a gem. Murder by Death are truly the most evocative band around at the moment and deserve the widest audience for their stories and songs.