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It's a sound that shouldn't work. Brother and sister, Dan and Tracee Miller's singing isn't the greatest, and the themes are typically country, and uniformly morbid. Songs about suicide, murder, the break up of relationships, and searching through garbage. When added to the discordant country guitar and ramshackle production though, it slowly begins to makes sense. The band have a sort of "we might be loners, and maybe we'll die alone, but if you don't watch out, we might take some of you with us" attitude. As Dan sings : "Folks you'd think I'd be happy and delighted 'cause all my dreams are finally coming true, but did I mention all my dreams are nightmares? And in my head I feel a storm about to brew..." It's Americana that could almost have been made 100 years ago, while at the same time, sounding slightly unlike anything else. And they even cover the Gun Club! I couldn't make it to the end of the review without mentioning the White Stripes, who have covered "Who's To Say" from this album on the B side of "I don't know what to do with myself". Oh, and there was a certain fight with a member of the Von Bondies at the launch party of this very album. And Jack White plays on the album too. But the real plaudits here all belong to Blanche. Gothic country hasn't been this good since the Fields of the Nephilium dressed up as cowboys... hmmmm... in fact - gothic country has never been this good. Official website (highly recommended - great design!): http://www.blanchemusic.com/ Tracee Miller's paintings : http://www.traceemiller.com/ You might have seen them supporting the White Stripes, the Handsome Family or Calexico recently, but they headline the Metro Club in London on the 23rd April & Whelan's in Dublin on the 25th.
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