Reverb And Seduction is the sixth album by Federale who are Collin Hegna's other band when he isn't in Brian Jonestown Massacre alongside an all star cast that includes Ryan Lynn, Joe Mengis, Brian Gardiner, Jared Molyneux, Paul Dillon, Hunter Lea, William Morrisey Slater, Jenny Connors, Kristen Leonard and a host of others, it was recorded at Revolver Studios in Portland Oregon.
The album opens with the western blues Advice For A Stranger, yep don't bet on horses, look both ways, buy this album before you leave home today, deep sonorous vocals that lean towards Chris Issak, the reverb laden guitars and shimmering strings lay out the actual advice the stranger is imparting to them.
Heaven Forgive Me for I have been drinking at the Lee Hazelwood well once more, with a drop or two of Easterhouse, shimmering guitars sparkling drums, feelings of deep familiarity in a brand new tune.
How low did you have to go to get this sound, can you purge those sins or will they forever be your burden.
I'll Never Forget how wonderful I felt Ville Valo's cover of Summer Wine was, this song clearly reminds me of the widescreen lush orchestration of that cover, his memory is always reminding him of that special place and time.
The Gallows Gate almost feels like it's being played at 7 or 8 bpm quicker than ought to, like it's a live version and they can't help speeding up, the western noir influences come to the fore, like the opening sequence of a blood spattered western with the victim being walked through the godforsaken town, his amanuensis looks on, he sings this confession to her.
Hope Don't You Haunt Me had a jangly acoustic guitar central to what's going on, but the rolls of bass drum sets this off beautifully thunderous, making this feel like an upbeat Tindersticks tune, no it really isn't upbeat but does hold out an olive branch to hope with backing vocals stolen from a Charles Bronson movie or three.
Dark Waters sees them straying into the most overblown end of The Cults catalogue for inspiration, you may need a preposterous outfit to be able to sing this properly, you'll never find sanctuary otherwise.
No Strangers brings the string section to the fore with woozy swoops set among the shotgun drumming, they recommend you keep on moving right through this town, it only has bad folks you don't want to hang around with in it.
The Worst Thing I Ever Did Was Ever Loving You is a Lee and Nancy style duet with Jenny Connors, bittersweet memories of the odd good days, as well as everything that went wrong once they fell for each other.
Home is swathed in strings to welcome you home once more to a nice bottle of vino and a comfy couch, so he can encourage you to once more lie next to him, how could you resist, unless you remember the warnings in the previous song.
The album closes with Revolver Volver while the end credits roll on a glorious dark western, the last dying embers of the action play out, the hero wanders off into the distance.
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