1.
Did I Damage You? 2. Dogs O' War 3.
Nasty Business 4. Boneyard Rider 5.
The Drought 6. Drugs, Spices & Silk 7.
New Country 8. This Old Town 9.
The Forsaken Few 10. I Wonder If She's Thinking Of
Me 11. Jesus Train
Did I
Damage You heralds a brooding opening to the Kill Devil
Hills' plugged in, beefed up sequel to their stunning 2005 debut,
"Heathen Songs". Laid down strong with a sensitive hand, this new album
"The Drought" delivers a fuller sound, experimenting with their
distinctive and unique brand of rock-country-blues-folk, but staying
faithful to the storytelling ballads that have won West Australian
crowds with venue-filling shows, secured Triple J radio airplay and are
now seducing the rest of our fair land.
Having
first come across the Kill Devil Hills as a trio playing a rockin'
winter's party in a barn in the Perth foothills in 2003, I've had a
voyeur's pleasure in observing their journey to "The Drought". Steve
Gibson has added a bass drum to his percussive suite – a move
I'm not convinced of yet: the stand-up snare and cymbals arrangement
gave a fantastic charm to the brilliant live show of these laid-back
lads, but at least Gibbo gets a seat during a gig.
The
second song on the album, Dogs
O' War, reinforces the bands ability to swagger along the
spectrum of the country genre with a deserving arrogance
while, Nasty
Business (this one is still looping in my head) and New Country have
the markings of yet more Kill Devil Hills live crackers. Meanwhile,
songs like The Forsaken
Few magnificently captures unhappy endings with a
meandering banjo influence, beautiful backing vocals and a phrasing
that just gets me.
The cover art and sans-plastic
design adds a haunting visual aspect to the overall package, and along
with the fourth song on the album (Boneyard
Rider) continues the olde Western habits of their earlier
work. Plugging in the guitar adds a bluesy string to the Kill Devil
Hills' bow, and I'm stoked too that the album version of I Wonder If She's Thinking Of Me
brings the same energy to my lounge room as I've witnessed in many a
live show.
I admit that I lament somewhat the
introduction of heavier percussion to the melancholic ballads. However,
my nostalgia is well sated by Ben Franz's deft touch at the desk while
Don Bartley's mastering lays bare experienced musicianship and
completes the raw and intimate sensibilities of "The Drought". The vox
are so nicely delivered throughout you could be sitting in the studio,
and Brendan Humphries' vulnerability on the opening track is
tantalisingly unnerving, giving us another chance to get swept up in
his smooth and sexy vocals.
One of the most
attractive elements of the Kill Devil Hills not evident in many up and
coming bands is how all the boys muck in and contribute. The
singer/songwriter talents of Steve Joines and Lachlan Gurr are merited
space to complement front-man Humphries, and session musos - new and
old – are appropriately and agreeably called in.
The
Drought showcases a band that shakes it on stage and in the studio,
with the ability to grow while respecting their roots. If you haven't
caught them on tour, check out the dates at www.thekilldevilhills.com
and pick up this album – I'm certainly looking forward to
their next jaunt in the studio and the Tarago.
