On the demo-turned-album Sad & Dangerous and their two albums on Touch And Go, Dirty Three redefine the word melancholy with some of the most expressive instrumental rock music I have ever heard. The secret behind Dirty Three's ability to paint such vivid imagery without any words is the classically-trained violinist Warren Ellis, who started out by writing and performing music for plays. Jim White's Elvin Jones-inspired drumming and Mick Turner's expressionist guitar added bleeding colors to the aural portraits. The slow songs combined the eerie gloom of fellow Aussie Nick Cave (whom they toured with) with the sun-baked Italian western film music of Ennio Morricone. The albums also included rockers that built into explosive crescendos to balance out the ennui and make the heart pound.
Unfortunately, ennui wins out on Ocean Songs. The songs meander about so quietly that I don't even notice when the album has finished. It's not until the three songs on the bonus CD when the band finally adds some juice. Previously, even the quiet songs sounded passionate and memorable. They are definitely missing something on this album, which begs for a producer who could fill out the skeletal gaps that Steve Albini left behind. Despite the uncomplimentary bare-bones recording, there are still plenty moments of immeasurable beauty. After listening to the emotionally exhausting early releases, put this on as you drift into dreams of aquatic voyages and black whirlpools of despair (whee!).
Reviewed byTony Van Dorsten
01.25.99
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