In fact, Robley relies on more than the music itself since The Drunken Dance of Modern Man in Love is also a lyrically strong album. In "Faulkner's South," Robley shows the state of the literary icon's Southern world of "slow decay" through the eyes of an abused daughter watching her father slowly die: "How sorry are you now old man? / How sorry are you now?" The song is blunt in its approach, yet shows the ambiguity of the narrator's feelings. Robley shows that he has mastered the narrative approach to song writing, and in "The Love I Fake" and "Centaurea, Centaurea," Robley's narratives are convincing without being didactic.
Another strength of The Drunken Dance of Modern Man in Love is the way the album progresses with musical variation. Instead of sounding dry and used by the end, Robley ends the album with some great songs. "Aubade" has a musical simplicity that is incredibly catchy, and the last song, "Archipelago No. 12," kicks off with a synthesizer playing quietly in the background. It's an interesting sound to hear in an album that primarily uses acoustic instruments, but it works well.
The Drunken Dance of Modern Man in Love is an album that can work in almost any setting, and no matter your musical tastes, there's something for everyone here. Although he's primarily a local act, Robley shows that he has the chops for the national stage as well. Mixing the best elements of folk, rock, and blues, The Drunken Dance of Modern Man in Love is a maturely executed collection of tunes that shows an artistry not often found in modern music.
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