Mark Everett moves his band forward, partially as a continuation of one of his song's of old, "Dog Faced Boy". So there are several songs with a Jon Spencer Blues Explosion feel, with cranked up distorted riffs and distorted muddy vocals, like you were hearing them from a porch on some one-watt amplifier. (It also recalls the sound of Tom Waits' "Goin' Out West", but I think you get the picture.)But that's only half the picture. The other half includes perfectly crafted pop songs. All fairly lilting and understated. Since this album is tantamount to a concept record about romantic want and desire. While the aggressive tunes paint the picture of a seducer or someone who may be loudly lamenting, the quieter portions deal with just the sadder topics. A guy who is feeling the distress of not having the ownership of his desire. See below for the most perfect example of this side of the coin.
Why E has decided to take on this Wolfman moniker for this collection is beyond me. There's nothing horrific about these songs' tones. Nor is a werewolf any particular part of a folklore metaphor for desire. Maybe it's all just about his beard. (3.5 out of 5 stars)
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