Chris Eckman, Hugo Race, Chris Brokaw: Dirtmusic

Elly Roberts reviews

Chris Eckman, Hugo Race, Chris Brokaw: Dirtmusic
Distributed by
Glitterhouse RecordsCover

  • Released: March 2008
  • Rating: 8/10
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As mini-supergroups go, this one of the best.

Chris Eckman vocalist and guitarist (The Walkabouts) Hugo Race (formerly BirthdayParty and Bad Seeds) now guitarist with True Spirit and former Come AndCodeine member Chris Brokaw have made an album that contains what it says onthe CD packshot – Dirtmusic.

It’s not the happiest of CDs to embrace, nevertheless, there is an undisputablecharm to it.

This unique collaboration has brought together three musicians who have a fullgrasp of the barren dust bowls of America and know exactly how to paint the landscapein musical terms, perfectly captured on opening instrumental Erica Moody.


Alt-folkie Micah P. Hinson got me fascinated by his take on his sparse alternativeAmericana, and though this has occasional similar soundscapes, it’s a bitmore down the line and accessible, which ain’t too bad a thing. Together they’vecreated a well crafted album with some delicious melodies and harmonies andexquisite instrumentation that sucks you instantly into some far-off distantwilderness, which is quite remarkable, considering it was all laid down andrecorded in Prague, of all places.

After a quick, “Ready, one, two, three,” the lightweight Erica Moody isa great and appropriate start. It sets the scene so to speak, with its steadyand laid-back template that spills over onto The Other Side, with banjo pluckingnicely to what sounds like a tambourine before a sweet (and catchy) chorus kicks in.

Sun City Casino has a slow and menacing pace textured by cool janglyreverbed guitars. It’s the first song that you expect some kind of explosivenessor massive crescendo. It doesn’t happen and it’s not a disappointment really,as we are (don’t forget) out somewhere remote, in their collective minds. Then comessweeping Face Of Evil, a rootsy acoustic ballad, where the guitar soundsalmost over accentuated thrusting it to the foreground of their picture, furtherenhanced by twanging electric guitar.


Brooding chugger with husky vocals, Still Running is a haunting boogie andthe paceiest song so far, though further in Ballad Of A Dream is acracking soft country shuffle which has some spell-binding wailing solo breaks.Wasted On couldn’t get more laid-back if it tried. It plods at snailpace punctuated by thudding drums with rolling organ in the distance, even buildinginto a kind of retarded crescendo. Finally, it drifts into the dusty distancein typical, if not somewh at jagged fashion, with Morning Dew.

When the dirt has settled you just know that Dirtmusic won’t sell much in theUK.

It should not be overlooked, just for the pure escapism.

File under: Understated gem, and a real grower.

Weblink:myspace.com/dirtmusicband


The full list of tracks included are :

1. Erica Moody
2. The Other Side
3. Sun City Casino
4. Face Of Evil
5. The Returning
6. Still Running
7. Summer Days
8. Ballad Of A Dream
9. No Sorrow More
10. Panther Hunting
11. Wasted On
12. Morning Dew

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