Ryan Davis & the Roadhouse Band
New Threats from the Soul
**** out of *****
There is no doubt that Davis loves wordplay as his songs rarely hit a chorus as he prefers to just use line after line to color stanzas with phrases that take a few listens to sink in. Vocally Davis never exerts himself too much, doubling voices with the likes of Catherine Irwin and Will Oldham as he moves through his songs that are less story tales and more collections of lines. There is no doubting his lyrical prowess, however at times things can be overwhelming.
Opening with the title track Davis never lets up as he drops references to A Tribe Called Quest, Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, The Flintstones, Moki Cherry, Married With Children, and Helen of Troy before we are seven lines into the song. There are times where it feels Davis can't help himself and has to just sing another line.
All of this is before the musicianship is discussed. The core band of Davis – synths, percussion, harmonica, clavinet Elisabeth Fuchsia – viola, violin Will Lawrence – drums, piano, vocals, Seth Manchester – percussion, sub bass, software programming, Jim Marlowe – bass, saxophone, dood, ebow Christopher May – pedal steel, resonator Aaron Rosenblum – violin, sampling keyboard, tape loops, craft dynamic sonic vistas. There is an alt-country vibe that seeps into the overall sound, but the band is deft at exhaling and delivering various textures as they get supported by a host of guests along the way.
"Monte Carlo/No Limits" finds the outfit using a easy groove before giving way to static overload and a noise-rock section with warbling sounds, announcing Davis' tale is about to descend into chaos. The twelve minute album centerpiece "Mutilation Springs" starts slow and contemplative, with some "Lola" like strums, before using flutes winningly, swelling to the heavens before descending back to Indiana, then closing with an top-notch jam that feels like it could roll on forever. That said, a return to this tune in the form of "Mutilation Falls" feels like an unnecessary 10 minute detour as the slight electro differences feel remix in fashion and tacked on.
The best songs "Better If You Make Me" and "The Simple Joy" are also his most straight ahead lyrically as the smooth grooving "Better If You Make Me" finds Davis learning, growing, falling behind, thankful and whimsical. "The Simple Joy" is the albums high point as Oldham joins vocally and the whole band locks in for tune that could be murderous, could be reflective, could be inspiring, could be all of the above; a dynamite offering.
This is an album that is hard to pigeonhole, it is clearly in line of Bill Callahan inspired word play, but with a lot more musicality. Ryan Davis & the Roadhouse Band's New Threats from the Soul feels of Sturgill Simpson's A Sailor's Guide To Earth, translated by Father John Misty and recorded in a Midwestern ghost town by a group of traveling friends. This is alt-country made for big city orchestras and shy country poets. This is a unique album that should be heard.
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