Murder By Death - In Bocca Al Lupo

I have to admit: After I listened to the album once, I didn't pick it up (or double click it) again for a while after that. It must've been the fact that I was expecting the instrumentals of a post-rock band with Adam Turley's ethereal voice. Needless to say I listened to it again with minimal expectations, and it clicked. On this album, Adam Turley describes his changed vocals as his "church voice", warranting comparisons with Johnny Cash and Tom Waits. Each song is a different story, with the very human struggles of sin and forgiveness powerfully connecting these rich little narratives. In terms of style, the music is initially coarse-placing you in some border town saloon--but also beautiful and triumphant. There is no divide here between story and music. You can't help but feel for the characters: both victims and the guilty. As the story brings you in, the cello and building instrumentals manipulate that connection skillfully, the cello amplifying the meaning in his words. "Brother," the first single, is straightforward, fast-paced rock that has that defiant tone fitting the backdrop of a desolated ghost town. This album shines during Shiola and the album closer The Devil Drives. Both songs start off calmly enough, until the instrumentals build to a point the anticipation of the climax gives you a knot in your stomach, followed by the the music becoming minimal (or non existent) and Turley's church voice truly sounding like he sung it from a pew with his eyes passionately shut and looking towards the ceiling. [murderbydeath.com]