The Handsome Family, Last Days of Wonder

reviewed by dave heaton

I'll admit to a psychological block sometimes with modern-day country groups sticking so close to an old-time country sound that they encourage cries of "retro!" I love that style of music, don't get me wrong; there's just times where I find myself wondering if I would get more out of just listening to the classics themselves. The Handsome Family's Last Days of Wonder, on the other hand, has both that old-time country style and a mood that's absolutely distinct and unique.

The cover art goes for a mock new-age peace-vibes mood, with photos of a sunset, a rushing stream, and a hummingbird on a flower. Those almost clichéd images take on a new life when you hear the actual album, though. The duo has conjured up this mood of absolute stillness and contemplation through really gorgeous slow-motion balladry, and then lent it an eerie tone to boot.

The opening song, "Your Great Journey", sounds at quick listen like a greeting card message – "your great journey has begun" – until you listen to the litany of vivid images and understand that the journey is a post-death one.

The 'wonder' of the title is absolutely the tone that the album so perfectly captures. It isn't a namby-pamby 'wonder of life' thing, more like wonder at the weirdness of the world, and all its unanswered questions. There's ghosts and eccentrics at every turn, plus adventures grim and bizarre. Brett Sparks sings lyrics (penned by his wife Ronnie) like "Inside a limestone cave I found a human skull" in the pure voice of a dusty old-West ballad, or a lonely cowboy's only song. Mysteries lurk everywhere, from bowling alleys to airports to highways and bars. Everyday life has become a spy movie, a ghost story, a question mark…and at the same time a perfect old country-western ballad. As one of the album's most straightforward lines puts it, as guitars twang beautifully in the background, "there was mystery singing from everything / the strip mall / the highway / the boarded-up skating rink."

{www.carrottoprecords.com}