Nighttown (Deluxe Edition)

Re-release from Seattle band’s 1997 release that hit the perfect dark romantic dramatic sound that Nick Cave and The Tindersticks could only dream of. Folk Americana, as was being dished out late 80’s, 90’s (see also early Cowboy Junkies, Mazzy Star, Tarnation). Female and male vocs trade off/harmonize, guitars strum and twang and heavy string arrangements prevail. Cinematic and dramatic this is high end stuff from an under appreciated band. The woman starred in a duet with Tindersticks and so much of this smacks of them. Features a second disc that contains demo versions of a handful which I personally prefer as they are rougher, less arranged, polished.

1) FCC
2) (4:13) mid paced drama, arrangements the works
3) (4:59) male vocs in front, epic pop feel
4) (4:36) fem vocs, sultry dark
5) (4:30) fem vocs, poppier feel
6)* (6:00) male vocs, hooky line "I'll say a prayer for you", dark and mysterious
7)* (4:05) different feel, more space rock than smokey lounge, nice, fem vocs
8) (1:05) interlude of keys, synth
9)* (5:33) fem vocs, sparse drama
10) (5:29) male vocs, slow drama with wood winds
11)* (3:42) fem vocs, hit quality, upbeat
12) (7:34) slow plod sad male vocs
13)* (2:44) duet, slow slow dark with bowed bass

Cd 2 (demos)

1) (8:11) same as track 12 above, less production
2)* (3:51) same as 11 above, uses a mellotron or synth instead of real strings, again rougher
3) (6:06) same as 10 above
4)* (2:51) contains noisy samples, low fi 4track feel, very different from rest with little to no vocs, and awesome
5) (2:46) track 13 above, slow sad plod