Paleface
(Ramseur)
Its title aside, to call The Show Is On the Road a comeback is like saying it snows in the arctic. Terming it an understatement is... well, an understatement in itself. Following last year's self-released A Different Story, this latest album represents the artist known as Paleface's progress so far on the road to recovery. In fact, it's been a long journey back; a decade ago he collapsed and nearly died after being stricken by a triple whammy - an onslaught of alcohol abuse, pneumonia and hepatitis.
Once one of the prime-movers in New York's fabled Anti-folk scene, Paleface now opts for a rambling, ramshackle approach that's as unhinged as it is unembellished, eschewing more sophisticated arrangements for a low-key, down home sound. The title track starts things off on a surprisingly jaunty note, and as the album saunters on, songs such as "Try to Hold Your Own," "Holy Holy" and "Pondering the Night Sky" maintain the casual lilt and sway. Yet, despite the nonchalant atmosphere and the DIY aesthetic - Paleface and his drummer girlfriend Monica Samalot go into White Stripes mode by making the majority of the music between them - nods to the past are filtered into the frivolity. "New York, New York" bids a wistful farewell to Manhattan, which Paleface abandoned in favor of relocating to North Carolina, while "Raise the Glass" offers a dubious farewell to past excess - "I had a blast... yesterday's gone."
Judging by the amiable vibe, any hint of regret over past misdeeds appears relegated to the backburner. With the show on the road, it bodes a most welcome return.
Standout Tracks: "The Show is on the
Road," "New York, New York," "Holy Holy" LEE ZIMMERMAN
