"Cold Black Devil/14 Miles":
As if it were even necessary, this song stands as another example that the major label didn’t drain him of the blues. The breakdown at the end has got some of the finest guitar work on the entire CD. With the Wah pedal he brings the guitars to a screaming pitch all while maintaining the bouncing feel that powers the track. The vocals are distorted on purpose, allowing the listener to focus on the collective impact of the music, not the words.
"Never Satisfied (Revisited)":
I’ve found myself repeating this song over and over again as I stare off into space; an obsessive musical experience that comes along only so often. The last song I did it to was “Devils and Dust.” It’s not so much that he “revisited” the track as it is pouring three years of maturity and wisdom into a song that was already profound. The twangy guitar tone and the layering give it an aural depth perceivably unreachable by “just” an acoustic guitar. When they say that “less is more”, people ignore powerful contrarian examples like this, a song in which a few production adjustments increase the power exponentially.
"Love Song, 2:00 AM":
I could go into some analysis here, but I figure the lyrics themselves do a better job than I ever could:
“well the moon is in the mountains and the night is taking pictures of the sky
and i've got nothing for you, nothing but this simple lullabye”
The song then revels in this theme of simplistic beauty and whispered vocals that flow like a river to the beat. That an artist would place such a reflective low song here, instead of filler or a throw away track is refreshing and appreciated.
"When You’re Walking Away":
This song starts out slow and dreamy but builds to one of the best on the album. It’s got that big chorus feel that, again, while uncharacteristic, is brilliant. If ever there was a song more primed for a bigger solo, this is it. It’s not to say that the one that’s there isn’t enjoyable, but every time I listen I trick myself into anticipating a different one.
"I’m So Gone":
The guitar effects make the song. They take a pretty standard rock song and give it a modern groove without losing “his” sound. It has, without a doubt, the coolest lyric in Greene history along with some of the sharpest guitar tone. I won’t pretend to know what it means, but I sure do like it.
“Did you hear about Vegas, she’s got mouths to feed and only one hole keeps them fed? It’s starting to plague us, and it won’t be long ‘fore one of us is dead"
Article comments
1 - ryan
what?