Backward Crooked From The Sunset
Iddy Biddy, 2018
8/10
Listen to Backward Crooked From The Sunset
A slimmed down version of the nine-piece Chandler Travis Philharmonic, The Chandler Travis Three-O brings in Fred Boak, John Clark and Berke McKelvey as well as several guests on this very colorful and highly unpredictable mashing of folk, country, jazz and even theatrical moments.
Travis starts the listen with the title track, where woodwinds flow alongside warm acoustic strumming and soft expressive singing, and “Happy Channy Oberek” follows with Dinty Child’s accordion prowess on the festive, instrumental tune.
A record where no two tracks resemble each other all that much, “More Than This Night” builds into a key friendly, saxophone soothing multifaceted chamber pop journey, while “Settling For Less” recruits trumpet and trombone in a country and folk tinted album highlight. “Queen Rachel” then gets dreamy with wordless, breathy vocals in the mesmerizing haziness.
Near the end, “Mayor Of Drunktown” offers a bit of Americana in the swift, comical storytelling and “Not In Service” finishes off the record with a mix of jazz and retro rock, the type that made the ‘50s and ‘60s so memorable and that Travis illuminates quite well.
Although this might be a stripped back version of his usual work, don’t think that it’s an any less interesting or impactful version of Travis. If you’ve been following all along, you’ve no doubt already consumed this one, and for the first time listener it’s a fine starting point.
Travels well with: They Might Be Giants- My Murdered Remains; The Kinks- Arthur Or The Decline And Fall Of The British Empire