LEICESTER BANGS
CD Reviews: June, 23rd. 2008
Boxcar Satan and Ghostwriter - Hobo Nouveau (Dogfingers / End Of The
West)
Imagine if Tom Waits and Tim Armstrong of Rancid got together to
make a blues album darker and swampier than the Black Lagoon. This is the case
on Boxcar Satan’s fourth offering, joined on this release by the usually one man
band Steve Schecter aka Ghostwriter. The vocal duties are shared between
Schecter and Boxcar’s Sanford Allen, occasionally uniting for the odd track such
as their rendition of Dylan’s “Serve Somebody”, turning it into an avalanche of
deep throated growls. One of several covers on the album, they also tear through
Woody Guthrie’s “Jesus Christ” in similar fashion. They’re at their best on
their own songs however. “Blood On My Mind” is an old-fashioned chain gang hymn
which gradually becomes more and more sinister. “Circus” is downright creepy
whilst “People” contains a strong contender for line of the year so far with
‘people, you can’t live with ‘em/But you can’t kill ‘em cos you don’t wanna go
to prison’. Superb stuff.
Michael
B.
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