'PM' is CASE HARDIN'S follow up to Every Dirty Mirror and it is one accomplished album of burnished UK-style Americana. Or is it folk-y country? Something along those lines. Either way it's an album you need to hear, yes it's dark and foreboding in places but not too dark.
It opens with the slow acoustic Dayside once the clock's ticking has finished to get listeners in the mood for what's to come on the sad ballad of the Three Beautiful Daughters. The band play such carefully restrained music like every note has been fought over to be included to make it just right and it works a treat.
They have a great way with a pleasant, down at heel folk song like Ironbridge which makes you want to experience a viewpoint of said bridge to see everything that is happening there. They can also pick up the pace and plug in for the Buffalo Springfield style country rocker Lady Hill: for me, the stand out track on side one. Well, if this was on wax, that is.
Side two opens with His God Damn Eyes: gentle, almost pastoral folk-rock. It's very nice, faturing dark lyrics that reveal the story of those eyes. But the real intrigue is on Dragging The River. What are they looking for? Is it a body or is it treasure will they find anything at all? This sad, stark tune reveals just enough to complete the picture like something out of a Jim Thompson novel.
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The fact that Mara opens with the Line "Is there a light at the end of the tunnel?" begs the question as this album is dark and never throws much light around at all and when things are as sparse and almost sung like they want to be the new Leonard Cohen it's not clear there is much light around at all. Still, A Thousand Sides Of Vinyl is just the light I was looking for - a great tune in which the guitars and organ battle for supremacy.
They then bring everything down for album closer This Ring; a very slow dark break up song that is mellower, starker and darker than anything else on the album. It's enough to leave the listener with a tear or two rolling down the cheeks as it comes to its conclusion.
All in this is a very good album if a bit on the dark side. It's well worth hunting down.
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