Unfinished Tattoo, The

An incredible journey inside the mind of a former prisoner at Alcatraz. Spoken word underscored with some nice rolling folk-jazz guitar. Good to play back to back with John Gilmore’s equally excellent CD “Laid Bare” or Nick Cave & co.’s “Ghosts Of The Civil Dead”.
(((((1))))) First days on ‘the rock’ not so bad for Whitey since he was a hardened crook.
((((2)))) Breakout plans, payoffs, double-crosses lots of suspense.Nice flowing guitar sometimes sounds Durutti Column.
((((3)))) Meets a little girl on a train & he explains what’s he’s doing in prison.
((((4)))) The view from the cell & what it all means. Nice twangy country-folk backing
((((5)))) Prison fight! Getting thrown in solitary & his hallucinations while there.
((((6)))) Almost a how-to or how NOT to on armed robbery. Rollin’ guitar sound.
(((((7))))) Typical day in prison (not too different from the military in some ways), very detailed account.
((((8)))) Growing up before near the railroads. Watching gangster movies. Hazy, minimal backing music.
((((9))))) Leaving prison on-going conversation with prison staff, life like outside ‘the rock’.
(FCC “fuck” 1:23)
(((((10)))) Anxieties over sleep, trippy travels in the subconscious. Great brooding ambience in background.
(((((11))))) Inspiring story about looking after wolves & “wolf-y values” Wonderful traveling sounding guitar.
((((12)))) His dealings with the “man upstairs” & his sort of agnostic feelings.
((((13)))) Getting a tattoo in McNeil Island in prison – illegally.