Folk-punk, blues-rock and Gypsy-jazz brings stories of traditional and modern poetry, as Until They Burn Me launch their sensational, impressively organic, melodic, gritty and infectious new album, A Carnival of Reveries.
Beginning with Dark & Deep, this album sets a high bar, acoustic and distorted layers of folk and rock supporting a nostalgic canned vocal, presenting a kind of old-school radio feel, whilst igniting a brilliant live energy that’s intoxicating in its Johnny Cash meets Ben Caplan meets The Dead South aura.
A mighty start, and a song that keeps you hitting replay in itself. But we must proceed.
“He said boy it’s just too late, Not a devil below or the Lord above, Can save you from this fate.”
The folk stomp, charm and characters continue, with the raspy acoustic groove and story of To The Bone, a nearly-whispered moment of rhythmic intrigue, before the upbeat distorted and warped playfulness of Licorice Lollipops injects a quirky and imagery-laden highlight. Great riffs, something of a Halloween-feeling song, theatrical and almost Monster-Mash-esque in its performance and production; until the smoother latter half adds a twist of the unexpected.
Dig Them Graves softens the mood musically, adds a little melodic joy, but conceptually plunges the knife in a little more deeply, whilst ultimately reflecting on Faith and the leadership of the Lord. Until They Burn Me then reinforce this vibe, with the brilliantly placed ambient instrumental capture Night Passage of Painted Dog. Softly intense, reverb-soaked and rhythmic, this track lets you fall deeper into the ideas and feelings of the project, and the mind wanders accordingly – a journey unique to each listener.
After this, Revealed to Him in the Wild is equally stunning, but for different reasons, and the emotion, melody, adlibs and ambient poignancy all feel intensely passionate; urgent yet strangely soothing. Album arrangement matters, and the band have this one down to a tee.
Aside from the musical prowess of A Carnival of Reveries, there is of course, as per the folk and punk historical journey, a clear conceptual inspiration – a series of stories and ideas reflected throughout the album, which draw upon and invoke specific thoughts and feelings. The lyrically mighty White Devil, in example, is mysterious and bold all at once, quietly confronting, and performed with subtle charisma and intimate depth.
“I can keep a secret
If you can keep your word
I got a belly full of the Holy Ghost
And I’m ready to go to work.”
Cinematic storytelling softly peaks once more, for the spoken scenes and dramatic design of The Golden Motel Room, an hypnotic and eerie listen that’s again really well-placed. Then to finish, Josef K ups the tempo, brings back the gypsy-folk bounce, for one last traditional telling of a story that intrigues, with a groove and melody that are brilliantly entertaining, catchy, and boldly passionate.
Feeling like a timeless collection from an ever-festival-ready act, Until They Burn Me present a series of original tales and musical compositions for this album, the likes of which consistently provoke thought, and will keep you coming back for more; perhaps witnessing some new insight or idea, each time you return. The album is vague and focused at the very same time, and it’s a rewarding and impressively creative highlight from this season so far.
Album Out October 31st – a Halloween must. Find Until They Burn Me on Bandcamp, Facebook, Instagram, X.
