Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Album Review: Handsome Family - Honey Moon



You know, if I wasn't smart, I would think The Handsome Family is making fun of me. Their new album, Honey Moon, is overpoweringly rich with sex and nature. Their descriptions of "honey moons" and crisp "moon sugar" are so beautifully heavy that I'm pretty sure they're laughing behind the microphone. It is both sardonic and David Bowie-esque (if he was in a chrysalis in Oklahoma) and a little bit of Billie Joel.

Describing the album as simply "funny," wouldn't be giving them their due expert-credit. "The Loneliness of Magnets" has pretty whistling and nice drum brushes, but the lyrics are so wild to pull you up from the roses and the sky. It's sort of heartbreaking and charmingly stupid as Brett Sparks wails, "I feel the loneliness of magnets / and the tides across the sea." The best track by far is "Linger, Let Me Linger" though - with its touches of city love and Joel-esque piano.

Who knew you could make Keats funny? The 19th century romanticism (and a penchant from describing birds in the trees) is all over "Love is Like" and roars in "Junebugs." Imagine Frankenstein, with more love-sickness and you'll enjoy this album. I did.

"And I will find you in the darkness / where water turns to steam / your pull upon my heart could steal 10,000 wings"

Handsome Family - The Loneliness of Magnets

Handsome Family - Linger, Let Me Linger

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