Out Waltzin' With The Holy Ghost: Two Gallants

From Two Gallants' What The Toll Tells

"Steady Rollin'" [mp3]

The most resignated groove you're likely to hear, "Steady Rollin'" is just that: the sound of continuing unalleviated, on a journey left to the wind. Adam Stephens tells us he's seen it all, Bowery to Barbary Coast, and it's the same. He shot his wife because he had to, threw her in the bay because he had to. It's this unswerving, violent and quintessentially Western transience that draws me to Stephens' characters. The conflict between intention and result - admirably gallant (ha!) in a sense, often detestable in another. Literary stuff, this, compelling like Cormac McCarthy, enthralling as the unknowable cowboy in the black hat.

"16th St. Dozens" [mp3]

A backwards countdown - "3! 2! 1!" - leads into the racket of pre-performance jitter and spasm before the Two are ready. It's a slow one, holes in the drums and floating guitar, more resignation and more tiredness. And then a stir of life, an impassioned, blaming yowl: "Everyone mus share this onus/ Ancients have no more to loan us/ All our debts unpaid." But we're drunk, and the gaze turns back inwards, and we need another drink. There will be more fits later, but we're spared as the song ends in media res.

Pre-Order What The Toll Tells, it's fantastic. Out February 23 in North America and available now in UK/Europe stores.

You Ain't No Picasso has a recent radio session up, featuring a new song, "Reflection of the Marionette."

Check out my live write-up from last week.

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Pitchfork's unveiled the tracklist from The Hardest Way To Make An Easy Living, The Streets' upcoming album. Rife with anticipation, I am. Out in April.

An Aquarium Drunkard has some from Gram Parsons' International Submarine Band. If you're not familiar with the late, great Gram Parsons... get started. A personal favorite, from the GP/Grievous Angel album (buy):

Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris - Cash On The Barrelhead/Hickory Wind medley [mp3]

Have $1? Slate tells you the best way to spend it.

PopMatters explains Doom Metal as the Next Big Thing - maybe.

Enjoy.