Red Of Tooth And Claw

Murder by Death
Red of Tooth and Claw

Rollicking and dark southern rock. Feels very southwestern and frontiersy, with a consistent mid/high energy and a density of sound reinforced with cello, boomy drums, and an appropriately rough singer who comes across more declaratory than involved. Slick production and friendly for radio throughout though maybe a little too friendly for this crowd, as it never seems to step out on quite the right limbs.

FCC: 11; My picks: 1, 3, 7, 10
See also: Thrift Store Cowboys, Nick Cave, 16 Horsepower, Johnny Cash

*1) 3:36 Catchy, upbeat two-step
2) 3:02 A swung, cabaret feel with nice jangly piano.
*3) 3:06 Dense and dark, with rolling drums and monotonic melodies.
4) 4:11 Muffled-feeling love song. A little poppier.
5) 2:49 Instrumental. Twangy and lower-energy, with prominent cello. 7-sec out.
6) 3:19 Clean, close, and sad. Mid energy.
*7) 2:05 Bouncy, more complicated groove highlighted by the dancing bass and cello.
8) 3:33 Dense, straightforward southern rock. 16-sec guitar fade out into next track.
9) 3:21 Mournful 6/8 waltz. A bit theatrical. 20-sec cello out.
*10) 2:25 Fun, stomping murder ballad. Also a bit theatrical.
11) 5:56 FCC. 6/8 cabaret with a long instrumental outro.