Cass McCombs - Catacombs

The title of Cass McCombs’ new album sounds so much like his name that you can’t help but wonder if he’s hinting at the labyrinthine depths of his inner self. Maybe I’m overthinking this, but the media-shy troubadour doesn’t exactly dissuade such analysis; a prime exponent of the idea of the songwriter as storyteller, his enigmatic, poetic lyrics delight in playing with notions of identity and with his listeners’ perceptions. In 'My Sister My Spouse' he sings “you know I’ll try on any mask/brother-son-husband, separate face for separate tasks”, followed by "write down on these tears of newpaper, words you'd like to see disappear/ let ash fly off of the rusty stovetop, I'm gonna start with the word sincere". He seems to invite the listener to question the reliability and authenticity of his words; 'Lionkiller Got Married' returns to the same apparently autobiographical character we encountered on his previous album Dropping The Writ with what seems to be a mocking, self-analytical tone, and some of its lyrics - “this is what happens when a leitmotif explodes” – seem almost comically self-aware.

This kind of hall-of-mirrors trickery would be irksome rather than intriguing if the music wasn’t equally well thought out. Luckily, McCombs’ effortless way with a melody and instinct for musical simplicity provide a compelling contrast to his wordplay. This time around the songs sound loose and live, which lends something of a demo quality to them, and on first listen this can give them a strangely unfinished feel. One of the chief pleasures of Dropping The Writ was the layered production and the variety of textures to be found from song to song: here, due to the minimal arrangements (and the fact that McCombs frequently writes mid-tempo ballads), there isn't the same sense of variety. However, when it works it’s magnificent: there's a gorgeous flow to the unhurried, ecstatic groove of 'Harmonium' and the relaxed shuffle of 'Don't Vote' that owes a lot to their repetitive structures and sparse instrumentation. McCombs’ pure, clear voice  - always one of his main assets - has improved steadily over the past few albums, and his control and sense of phrasing add a lot to the songs. The aforementioned 'Lionkiller got Married', with its relentless military drumming and biting lyrics, is a standout, as is the classic 60s surf pop of first single 'Dreams Come True Girl', and for my money the mid-album suite of 'Harmonium,' 'My Sister My Spouse' and 'Lionkiller' is one of the strongest runs of songs you'll hear all year. 

The overall atmosphere is of oddball, rural Americana (there’s an extended steel guitar solo on 'Harmonium', and 'Jonesy Boy' harks back to mid-70s Neil Young), and it's  certainly an album to take your time with, as the mood of contented contemplation which McCombs increasingly inhabits is unfortunately not one which is likely to grab the casual listener. However, given the time it deserves, the album begins to show its rewards: Catacombs may not have the same immediacy as his previous album (or a lot of other music you'll hear), but it's the work of a unique talent, and full to the brim with invention and great songwriting.