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Another page ripped out of the boom-box folk diary of
Iowa's John Darnielle. His seventh album, the first in three years,
this seems, judging from the eulogy inside, to have been motivated by
the suicide of a friend named Rozz (this can't be Rozz Williams of
Christian Death fame, though, can it?). In apparent response to the
loss, and armed most of the time with an acoustic guitar as his only
weapon, Darnielle takes on Death in a battle match generating a lot
of hellfire. Rivers of blood rush through the streets of Rome,
jewel-encrusted chariots swing low and insurance fraud is committed
while our plain-voiced warrior attempts to hold mortality at bay for
just one moment longer. Even the sweet-sounding "I'm coming home"
song has the ominous title "Elijah." The album's concept puts
apparent mean-spirited relationship songs in a more metaphorical
context. At least that's what I tell myself when I'm trying to be
sympathetic.
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