Raised in Brooklyn, Ben De La Cour lived in London, Cuba, and across the United States before making his home in East Nashville over a decade and a half ago. His influences include Leonard Cohen, Nina Simone, and Nick Cave. He releases his latest album `New Roses` this month.
The opening track `I Must be Lonely` lays down a marker and it’s a pretty austere introduction, a kind of reflection on the pull of your past and trying your best to resist. Nashville-based artist Sierra Torres who makes music under the Gin Wife moniker joins on harmonies and adds to this haunting listen. American country music singer Elizabeth Cook adds harmonies on `The Devil Went Down To Silverlake` which tips its hat to Charlie Daniels`s `The Devil Went Down To Georgia` A cautionary tale of being careful of what you wish for.
`Bad Star` signifies negative influences, misfortune, or adverse celestial events which pretty well sums up this song but saying that it has an evocative soul-searching beauty about it. A resonating guitar riff leads us into and through `Beautiful Day` which has an exquisite, enchanting charm in its simplicity that really draws you in.
`We Were Young Together Once` is introspective and tender and was inspired by and written for the artist`s daughter. A number that is full of trepidation for this child that he has created and brought into this world and all that lies ahead. It`s heartbreakingly poignant. About `Jukebox Heart`, one time collaborator Jim White said its “kind of like an aging stripper dry humping Nick Caves tuxedo clad wax figure at Madame Tussauds” make of that what you will but it for me had a Lizard King melded with Cave like ambience, which ain`t a bad thing.
Colorado folk-country singer-songwriter Emily Scott Robinson adds harmonies to the delightfully descriptive `Christina` an affectionate reflection on somebody who endures a relationship that appears will have an inevitable devastating ending but is drawn to it as a moth to a flame. We have a more abstract outing with `King Rex / Biloxi` which grows in volume as well as depth as it evolves.
The wonderfully titled `Stuart Little killed God (on 2nd Ave)` came from a dream the singer had. A bizarre but compelling listen. We have a cover of `Lost Highway` written by Leon Payne and originally covered by Hank Williams which has been described as having a combination of perdition and hopelessness. This is a true reimagination of the number which opens with a kind of Sabbath `Iron Man` doom vibe with slightly distorted vocals that almost portray a preacher. It has a spiritual verging on the religious texture about it.
Australian Americana songstress Misty Harlowe joins the singer on the final cut and title track `New Roses` a kind of skewed modern interpretation or slant on a biblical story come event.
I think you could waste a lot of time trying to comprehend what Gothic folk artist Ben De La Cour tries to share lyrically on `New Roses` with his at times dark themes, rather than just absorbing yourself in his compelling and captivating musical landscape. There`s a touch of melancholy but at the same time joy, a kind of yin and yang-ness or blend of darkness and light. One to just live out rather than figure out.
Rating 9/10
