The Claudettes: “High Times In The Dark” (2020) CD Review

The new album from The Claudettes is something I’ve been looking forward to for quite some time, almost since the release of Dance Scandal At The Gymnasium, their last album, one of my favorite discs of 2018. There have been hints and teases and rumors and promises for several months, and now it is here – the new Claudettes release, High Times In The Dark. That title certainly speaks to our wishes these days, right? After all, we could all use some high times, particularly now as the entire country has been plunged into a darkness that seems to have no end. And the album delivers those high times, with a sound that seems unique to this band, combining pop and jazz and blues and soul, with a sense of the theatrical as well that makes the whole thing seem like a living creature. The album features all original material, written by Brian Berkowitz (perhaps better known as Johnny Iguana). It was produced by Ted Hutt, who played guitar in Flogging Molly, and produced albums by Go Betty Go and Dropkick Murphys.

The new album opens with “Bad Babe, Losin’ Touch,” a delightful tune with a cool groove and some sweet vocals from Berit Ulseth. “You used to check on me at night/Ask, is everything all right/Spend an hour on the phone/You get so dirty when you’re stoned.” There is something exciting about the song’s rhythm and overall sound, which is full and vibrant, with lots of playful touches, including a big finish. The keys really drive this one forward and give the song a timeless feel. This is a wonderful opening track. That’s followed by “24/5.” Johnny Iguana begins this one on keys, with some rather pretty work. Soon the track busts open with a glorious force, and Berit’s vocals are a strong part of it. This one is playful too, the idea being that 24/7 with someone is too much: “24/7’s a joke/I’ll offer 24/5.” There is a great humor to this one, and it includes a reference to the Smothers Brothers: “This is like a comedy act and you’re the Smothers Brothers/Smothering me with your love.” Johnny is really rocking the keys here. This track is a whole lot of fun, a monster you don’t want to tame.

Berit delivers a wonderful vocal performance on “I Swear To God I Will,” taking us all sorts of places with those variations in her delivery. The first time I listened to this track, I was enjoying her performance so much that I failed to take in most of the lyrics, paying more attention to the sound than the content. But the next time I focused more on the lyrics, which are about attraction and desire. “Smile at me, and I swear to god I’ll dream about you tonight.” There is a bit of a 1970s flair to the music of this one at moments. Then there is a strange intensity to “Creeper Weed” at times, like pop music pumped full of adrenaline. There is some wild stuff on keys in the second half of the track. That’s followed by “Grandkids Wave Bye-Bye,” which as it starts has more of a straight-forward rock vibe. But as we get into it, we find a lot more going on here, particularly lyrically, with lines about the rich looking down on the poor. “I was given mine/When I was born/And here is mine/But where is yours/Don’t feed the animals.” There is a certain scum that through an unfortunate trick of fate became the president of this country, and that orange stain comes to mind when I listen to this track. “There’s really nothing we can do for you/You’ve got to want it/If you’re to have it/You’ve got to work for it/And I’ve just had it with you animals/I will not feed you animals.”

At the beginning of “One Special Bottle,” Berit sings “I’ve got one special bottle I’ve been saving/I’ll open it up/But only on the day/When what I wanted comes to pass.” Oh, if I saved a bottle until what I want to happen comes to pass, it may never get opened. And who can make it through a day without at least one drink? The line “I’ll smash the thing, I’m not above it” made me laugh aloud the first time I listened to this track, in part because of Berit’s wonderful delivery. Then “Declined” is a delight, a song with attitude and joy. “Dear sir, I wish you the best in all your future endeavors/But sir, there is no interest whatsoever/Declined/Please do not apply again.” Hey, you can probably think of a person or two you would have liked to sing this song to.

“I Don’t Do That Stuff Anymore” has a mellower vibe at the start, but with some cool and prominent percussion. But the lyrics are what really stand out for me on this track. Here is a taste:  “Endless battles amount to war/So I settle down, I don’t settle the score/I tiptoe around, I don’t slam the door.” This one develops a peculiar beauty and ends up being one of my favorite tracks. Then “Most Accidents Happen” begins with a great beat, and though it is a song about fear, it is actually a lot of fun. “But numbers don’t lie that most accidents happen/If you don’t want to die, then you’ll listen/And be afraid of those unlike yourself/Of anyone who claims to need your help.” I love that guitar work too. That’s followed by “You Drummers Keep Breaking My Heart,” yet another of the disc’s highlights. Check out these lines: “But then there was the accident/And he went and found religion/I wasn’t done carousing yet/I couldn’t go there with him.” There are some interesting changes, and the track becomes rather beautiful in the middle there. “The third and the fourth ones were both named Nick/One got sick of me, the other just got sick/I should switch to guitarists/That would be smart/Because drummers are always breaking my heart.” The album then concludes with “The Sun Will Fool You,” a gorgeous song featuring another impressive and effective vocal performance by Berit, backed by some moving work on piano. “You must be giving off just enough warmth/To keep me clinging to life/Around you.”

CD Track List

1. Bad Babe, Losin’ Touch
2. 24/5
3. I Swear To God I Will
4. Creeper Weed
5. Grandkids Wave Bye-Bye
6. One Special Bottle
7. Declined
8. I Don’t Do That Stuff Anymore
9. Most Accidents Happen
10. You Drummers Keep Breaking My Heart
11. The Sun Will Fool You 

High Times In The Dark is scheduled to be released on April 3, 2020 on Forty Below Records.