Chesnutt,Vic / Power,Elf / The Amorphous Strums Dark Developments CD

Vic Chesnutt's collaboration with Elephant 6 originals Elf Power, "Dark Developments" was released in the fall of 2008. As intriguing as this combination may seem for hardcore fans of either act, the final sonic results reveal a daunting sum much greater than even the involvement of such esteemed parts would imply; the Elves' lived-in dexterity as a live band goads Vic's vocal delivery to a menacing new muscularity, imbuing this batch of songs with a sinister vibe not dissimilar to John Cale's black classic "Fear," the harsh, articulate sleaze of Lou Reed's "Street Hassle" or the defeated low key soul-music of Nick Lowe's last few records. And Chesnutt's songwriting retains it's trademark literary bent; central songs carry the narrative weight, sturdy construction and lexical mystery of a long lost Raymond Carver story. And as he still woos you with his squelched, beautiful melodies, his sonic turns-in-the road take an even stranger tack with the aid of the psych-pop veterans.

1. Mystery 2. Little Fucker 3. And How 4. Teddy Bear 5. We Are Mean 6. Stop the Horse 7. Bilocating Dog 8. Mad Passion of the Stoic 9. Phil the Fiddler