This album takes me back to the time I saw the two artists perform these songs live, on the stage of Groningen's Oosterpoort. I spent my first couple of years in The Netherlands at the Northern provincial city of Groningen, and still remember it fondly. Hollanders often talk about is as it's a god-forsaken place inhabited by some kind of weird-talking hillbillies (if there were any hills in The Netherlands, which there aren't - sand dunes is as high as it gets). To emphasise how far it is, the Dutch say "there's nothing above Groningen" - to which Groningers have given a positive spin, as in "there's nothing better than Groningen"). Don't let the bad publicity fool you: It is a beautiful and vibrant student city with great night life and lots of culture, including the Eurosonic festival in January with bands from all over Europe, and Noorderzon in August (theatre, music, all arts really...) Then you have many live venues like the temple of the Alternative scene Vera (bands like Joy Division and Nirvana played there when they were still unknown) and bigger halls like the Oosterpoort. The latter also houses the Take Root festival, which in 2010 had a pretty strong lineup, including among others Wilco, Iron & Wine, Dave Rawlings Machine with Gillian Welch, Black Mountain, and Isobel Campbell with Mark Lanegan.
Now, how exactly does a Glasgow girl fit into an event sub-labeled "Festival For Past, Present and Upcoming American music"? She does, not only because of her choice of collaborators, but foremost because of her songs drawing from American folk tradition, and especially the great country duets: Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazelwood, George Jones & Tammy Wynette, June Carter-Cash and Johnny Cash. Nothing about the gentle pop of her former band Belle and Sebastian could have prepared you for this dive into Americana, which is why I was surprised to learn she was the creative force behind the duo. Another reason may have been that her sweet and soft voice on the record plays second fiddle to Lanegan's strong, gravelly baritone. Music critics invariably used the same metaphor for this pairing: the beauty and the beast. As well as their voices, the two singers' exterior justifies the simile: Isobel's fragile good looks make quite a contrast with Lanegan's unkempt gloomy lumberjack appearance. On stage, though, Campbell was the one in control: If Lanegan was the leading man, she was obviously the director, stepping in at the right moment with her vocals, guitar, cello, piano and other instruments. Theirs was a very successful (artistically, at least) partnership, but "Hawk" was to be their 3rd and last album together. Probably they felt the formula was getting old, which is why they try some different approaches here: the rich strings and R&B backbeat of "Come Undone" is a definitive winner, probably the duo's best moment. "You Won't Let Me Down Again" could have been an acoustic outtake from Lanegan's collaborations with desert rockers Queens Of The Stone Age - if it wasn't for Isobel's soft and sensual backing vocals. "Snake Song" is a similarly sturdy acoustic blues, featuring great vocals from both performers. "Get Behind Me" is a rockabilly scorcher and "Hawk" a rollicking instrumental with howling sax. On the one hand I applaud their desire to shake things up a bit, but on the other I have to admit that those two kinda break the mood of the album. Despite all the efforts to mess with the formula, the pair are at their best when they stick close to it: the Nancy-and-Lee style ballads "We Die And See Beauty Reign", "Time Of The Season", "Eyes Of Green", and the fantastic closer "Lately" with Lanegan channeling Leonard Cohen and gospel-style backing vocals. Then, as if we're witnessing a real-life idyll unravelling, Campbell goes at it alone for the haunted ballad "Sunrise" and Mazzy Star-soundalike "To Hell & Back Again", and even exchanges Lanegan for a younger man (American singer-songwriter Willy Mason) for a couple of duets: "No Place to Fall" and "Cool Water". Good songs, and the addition of a Celtic violin on the former (as well as "Eyes Of Green") is another nice touch by Campbell-the-record producer. Mason sounds like a cross between Tim Hardin and Johnny Cash. Actually, he's like a younger, less gritty and world-weary, Lanegan - now doesn't that sound like rebounding from a failed romance? But, as far as I know, Mark and Isobell's coupling was never a romantic one and just naturally ended for the singers to follow their muse elsewhere. At least they left behind three albums of beautiful music, all of which are highly recommended.
Now, how exactly does a Glasgow girl fit into an event sub-labeled "Festival For Past, Present and Upcoming American music"? She does, not only because of her choice of collaborators, but foremost because of her songs drawing from American folk tradition, and especially the great country duets: Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazelwood, George Jones & Tammy Wynette, June Carter-Cash and Johnny Cash. Nothing about the gentle pop of her former band Belle and Sebastian could have prepared you for this dive into Americana, which is why I was surprised to learn she was the creative force behind the duo. Another reason may have been that her sweet and soft voice on the record plays second fiddle to Lanegan's strong, gravelly baritone. Music critics invariably used the same metaphor for this pairing: the beauty and the beast. As well as their voices, the two singers' exterior justifies the simile: Isobel's fragile good looks make quite a contrast with Lanegan's unkempt gloomy lumberjack appearance. On stage, though, Campbell was the one in control: If Lanegan was the leading man, she was obviously the director, stepping in at the right moment with her vocals, guitar, cello, piano and other instruments. Theirs was a very successful (artistically, at least) partnership, but "Hawk" was to be their 3rd and last album together. Probably they felt the formula was getting old, which is why they try some different approaches here: the rich strings and R&B backbeat of "Come Undone" is a definitive winner, probably the duo's best moment. "You Won't Let Me Down Again" could have been an acoustic outtake from Lanegan's collaborations with desert rockers Queens Of The Stone Age - if it wasn't for Isobel's soft and sensual backing vocals. "Snake Song" is a similarly sturdy acoustic blues, featuring great vocals from both performers. "Get Behind Me" is a rockabilly scorcher and "Hawk" a rollicking instrumental with howling sax. On the one hand I applaud their desire to shake things up a bit, but on the other I have to admit that those two kinda break the mood of the album. Despite all the efforts to mess with the formula, the pair are at their best when they stick close to it: the Nancy-and-Lee style ballads "We Die And See Beauty Reign", "Time Of The Season", "Eyes Of Green", and the fantastic closer "Lately" with Lanegan channeling Leonard Cohen and gospel-style backing vocals. Then, as if we're witnessing a real-life idyll unravelling, Campbell goes at it alone for the haunted ballad "Sunrise" and Mazzy Star-soundalike "To Hell & Back Again", and even exchanges Lanegan for a younger man (American singer-songwriter Willy Mason) for a couple of duets: "No Place to Fall" and "Cool Water". Good songs, and the addition of a Celtic violin on the former (as well as "Eyes Of Green") is another nice touch by Campbell-the-record producer. Mason sounds like a cross between Tim Hardin and Johnny Cash. Actually, he's like a younger, less gritty and world-weary, Lanegan - now doesn't that sound like rebounding from a failed romance? But, as far as I know, Mark and Isobell's coupling was never a romantic one and just naturally ended for the singers to follow their muse elsewhere. At least they left behind three albums of beautiful music, all of which are highly recommended.
***** for Come Undone
**** for We Die and See Beauty Reign, You Won't Let Me Down Again, Snake Song, No Place to Fall, Get Behind Me, Time of the Season, Eyes of Green, Lately
*** for Sunrise, To Hell & Back Again, Cool Water
** for Hawk
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