These guys waste no time casting their spell over us. They do it on the very first track, "Black Locust," which moves at a pace that slows our thoughts down just enough for the music to gain control. And check out these lyrics: "The moon floats above, a tethered balloon/Cicadas not singing, but they'll be here soon." Ah, who thought a ukulele could have a haunting feel? A little later in this song, they sing, "Are you drunk on the clover/Or under the spell of the moon?" But it's neither. We are under the spell of this music, and willingly so, happily so. And in large part it is due to their vocal performance. There is a powerful moment near the end where the song grows. This is the track to feature Stefan Zeniuk on reeds. The percussion then plays a prominent role on "New Moon," strong enough to determine the course of our own blood as we listen. "Are you ready now? (are you ready now)/What's it gonna be? (what's it gonna be)." It is the percussion that at times feels almost ominous, threatening, as it drives forward. These lines make me think of the fate of Ophelia: "Slowly slip into the stream (Slip into the stream)/Oak leaves brush against your skin (Oak leaves on your skin)/Let the waters close overhead."
"Trick Of The Light" has an interesting and unusual opening, particularly that vocal work. At first it is almost gentle, but it begins to grow in force, approaching us, about to overtake us, and then the song kicks in. "It must have been a trick of the light/You keep on telling yourself everything's fine/But you've been walking/While you are sleeping/And now you're going out of your mind." Maybe I have Shakespeare on the brain, but those lines put me in mind of Lady Macbeth. And the repeated phrase "It's all right" doesn't quite soothe us, does it? I also love how their voices become a part of the rhythm of the piece. That's followed by a somewhat lighter, more playful number, "Time Machine," which begins with these lines: "Everything’s happening/At the same time/Count to ten backwards/Focus your mind." A lot of lines stand out to me, including these from the chorus: "It's not too late/To change the past/The future, it won’t last." The line "This moment's all we've got" is repeated, and then the drums become more forceful. The line is repeated again at the end, becoming a strange mantra. And it's true, isn't it?
We become well acquainted with death then in the next song, "Scavengers," in which they sing, "In the skeleton's cage is a prisoner/Gaze through the eyes where the life force still flickers/Find the remains of the beautiful." That phrase "the remains of the beautiful" is striking. Maybe that is the most we can hope to find in these dark times. We look around and can't help but see doom within this nation's eyes. But then we listen to the music, and we know it can take us to a different plane when all of this is just dust. "Make some kind of ritual." Kate Wakefield delivers some good stuff on cello on this track. And then Kate Wakefield's work on cello helps set the tone and create the atmosphere on "Beautiful Night." Gorgeous work that helps us digest those first lines: "We don’t need help to welcome the dark/The darkness knows right where to find us." And perhaps this is the most honest of the optimistic messages of the day: "It could be worse." Indeed, it could. Imagine if we didn't have music to keep us relatively sane and grounded. This is one of my favorite tracks. "And if it’s not fair/We don’t despair/And if it’s a curse/It could be worse/Yeah, it’s all all right/It’s a beautiful night."
"Vitriol" is an oddly playful duet, as Ellia and Jeff trade lines at the beginning. "Slip into the acid bath/Unmake the cruel machine/Can’t dissolve the aftermath/Just watch it on TV." There is something undeniably catchy about this song. Part of it is that great bass line. "It’s an ancient ritual/Crystallize the vitriol/Such a little thing to do." That's followed by "Haunted Lighthouse." Oh yes, here we are led into that twisted, eerie carnival land. Danny Elfman would be right at home here. It's a land where the darkness is delightful and electric. The vocal line has a delicious rhythm. For example, listen to the way they sing "a restless cutlass" and "we left one witness." I love it. There is a great joy in the doom, eh? And why not? The line "It was just past breakfast" made me laugh out loud. I so willingly entered this world, and I imagine you will too. Peter Bufano adds some wonderful work on accordion. And again I think of Shakespeare, this time The Tempest, as if this song were a demonic waltz led by Caliban's dam. Wonderful! "I am trapped on this island."
"Gang Of Two" presents a somewhat different sort of dance, a waltz with a lighter vibe. The carnival is still a big part of it, as they sing to us, "Ever since we hopped the fence/It’s been county fairs and circus tents/We were walking with our eyes closed/Searching for the sideshow." Another line I love is "Just a dollar short of fifty cents." You just have to laugh when you can relate to that, right? Somehow this song makes me feel pretty damn happy. The album concludes with "Green Things," which has an interesting tone from the start. It feels like this song could leave us in the light, or deep underground. Stay on your toes, be ready for the changes. "The green things know/To reach and grow/The streets they border/One day they’ll cover."
CD Track List
- Black Locust
- New Moon
- Trick Of The Light
- Time Machine
- Scavengers
- Beautiful Night
- Vitriol
- Haunted Lighthouse
- Gang Of Two
- Green Things
The Double was released on May 16, 2025.
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