![Big Blood - Dark Country Magic (Dontrustheruin, 2010)
In writing this review, I attempted to count how many albums Caleb Mulkerin and Colleen Kinsella have released over the past year, but shit’s just not worth tabulating. I can no longer keep up with what iteration of those Portland folk are still together (are Cerberus Shoal and Fire on Fire still active???) and when and who released what. For simplicity, let us assume that the number of releases Caleb and Colleen have secreted throughout the years is the very technical quantity ‘fuck load.’ I can almost surely (my faculties aren’t that certain) count on one hand how many albums Caleb, Colleen, Asian Mae, Rose Philistine, and miscellaneous strange Maine folk have put out under the Big Blood moniker this year—Dead Songs (Time-Lag), Night Terrors on the Isle of Louis Hardin (Cabin Floor Esoterica), Operators and Things (Dontrustheruin), PM50 (a compilation for Peasant Magik on which they appear), and now Dark Country Magic (Dontrustheruin) [that’s five, by the way]. So one could remark that that’s a mighty large number of albums for Big Blood this year, but given their prolific history, 2010 has just been another year’s work.But one especially unique aspect to Big Blood’s 2010 output is how stylistically diverse it was. By their standards, Dead Songs was a straight-laced rocker, whereas the drone-folk of Night Terrors was their furtherest left of the dial and Operators and Things found Big Blood in their comfortable ‘freakier and folkier than Devendraohyoualreadyknowthejoke’ territory. This new venture, Dark Country Magic, is nestled between the aforementioned three. It combines the the group’s trademark weirdness with the strong, conventional songwriting of Dead Songs. Their magnificent song crafting shines through in more than one instance, but “She-Wander(er)” is without a doubt the highlight, another ‘track of the year’ in a long line of stellar Big Blood cuts (“Song for Baltimore,” “A Hole In One,” Oh Country (Skin & Bones),” etc.).I never noticed until recently, but Big Blood are a band greatly influenced by their children, with references constantly popping up in Colleen’s lyrics. But not until Dark County Magic was this altogether obvious to me, with the critical mass of adorableness that is “Moo-Hoo” and the lovely collage insert of what I presume to be Caleb and Colleen’s children. While Big Blood may often employ dark themes, there never is a sense of despair in their music; there is always a shrining light. I’m constantly overwhelmed by an incredible joy for existence when listening, almost reborn. I think the influence of their children, the purity of youth, is partly responsible for this singularly positive aesthetic, and, in turn, why I love them so. As Danny said on his facebook, “Band of my life.”](http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ldfmcbbTbe1qzi4j0o1_500.jpg)
So yesterday I sent Big Blood an email to ask a couple of questions and basically to tell them how much their music means to me. Late last night when I checked my email I was greeted by an overwhelmingly gracious, nice reply. Anyway this is sort of irrelevent, except that I probably love Big Blood even more now for it. NOT ONLY ARE MAKING THE BEST MUSIC IN THE WORLD RIGHT NOW BUT THEY ARE INSANELY NICE!
Ok so I have no idea what sort of order I am doing these albums in. Basically yesterday when I woke up I really wanted to listen Strange Maine 06, so then while sitting their listening to it I decided to do a post on it. And today I have found myself with a bit of free time and I was playing Dark Country Magic, so I am going to write on this one.
Well this is Big Blood's most recent album, they released it on the 1st of December. Big Blood's last album, Dead Songs, also released this year (seriously they release so much quallity music so often) was the first one with a proper CD/LP release. But here they are back again with another CD-R, and this one is very possibly the best so far. I really like the way they make and distribute their music themselves. It feels really modest and personal. How fucking great is the album art!? Colleen does it all herself (from what I gather, if not they do it together), and it is always so good. This one particularly is so great in the way that it really reflects how the album sounds and feels.
Anyway on to the actual music. My friend made a great observation the other day when we were talking about Big Blood, he said that "Big Blood have an uncanny ability to make the first and last songs on their albums insanely good." well this one starts with a short little introduction called 'Oh My Child'. Then the first real song starts, 'Creepin' Crazy Time', and it fucking rules. It sets up the album completely. Alot of the songs sound as though they are built around drones, which is usually over some sort of simple, but sweet-as-hell grooove. It is definitely the most psychadelic sounding Big Blood that I have heard.
The next song, 'Ringers in the Fold' sounds even more psychadelic, and again it is goddamn sweet. Then there is 'She Wander(er)', which is a pretty strong contender for the best Big Blood song ever. Colleen's voice sounds straight-up amazing as usual, and especially in this song. It has this really great vocal melody that, in conjunction with Colleen's voice makes this song something really special. I could go on and on about each song on the album and about how awesome it is, but I won't because no one really cares. What I am trying to say is this is one best albums ever, and totally the best album so far in 2010.
Don't feel bad about downloading this either, because being the nice people that they are Big Blood put all of their albums (with a few exceptions) up for free download on the net. I will still upload them onto this site for convenience because hell, I am just that sort of dude. THE DUDE WITH FAR TOO MUCH TIME ON HIS HANDS! Anyway I am going to end this with a statement that will completely reflect the awesome-ness of this here album.
Ready?
'SHIT IS SO CASH!'
(that was all)
Download
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