[mp3s]
Carey Mercer, he of Frog Eyes and the indie supergroup Swan Lake, is dropping his second release under the name of Blackout Beach today. It's ridiculously lavish but unquestinonably stunning. Skin of Evil is a concept album in the best sense of the word: Mercer picks his story and sticks with it the entire way, dedicating himself to seeing the thing through. "Donna" is the subject of the story, and each of her lovers (past & present) say their peace in song (Donna gets her song, too). Mercer based the album loosely upon the classic Greek notion of the ideal woman. Destroyer's Dan Bejar, who coincidentally enough plays with Mercer in Swan Lake, is glowing about the album. He describes it much better than we can:
"A frame of reference for something like this might be:
Goofy American babbler (Jerry Lee Lewis/Dennis Quaid) meets the highest, the most harrowing of modernist Euro nightmare (The Drift ) -- By this I guess I mean that there can be no frame of reference, for these two things have never met before, and external forces work hard to make sure they never do, but somehow the sonic space created for this set of singing happened, and feels familiar, doesn't give me the willies. Maybe it's 'cause Scott Walker has never hinted at expressing an interest in the traditions of rocknroll guitar (neither does Carey but it can really sound like he must when he plays.) ...I believe Skin of Evil is the best record I will hear all year."
If that doesn't want to make you check this out, nothing will. Grab the two mp3s above, and then buy the whole thing via Soft Abuse. You're welcome.
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