The Black Heart Procession, Amore Del Tropico (Touch And Go) 9+
The Black Heart Procession's first three albums contain some of the most uncompromisingly, deliciously grim music you'll ever hear. One step closer to the abyss could send them tripping into the void, or at least falling flat into self-parody. Fortunately, they have circumvented that dilemma by coming up with a wonderfully entertaining concept album, a richly orchestrated noir murder mystery. Borrowing from Nick Cave's brilliant storytelling and Gallon Drunk's lushly produced recent work, Amore Del Tropico attempts to tell an Elmore Leonard-type crime story. The lyrics fail to do so (they completely lack character development, for example), at least in comparison to Tom Waits albums like Frank's Wild Years, The Black Rider and Blood Money. It does work in the more traditional role as a soundtrack. In fact, a DVD is reportedly due to come out with a film to go with each song. "Tropics Of Love" is a brilliant Calexico-style bossa nova/Cuban mambo fusion. Paulo Zappoli (aka Pal Jenkins) expands his vocal repertoire beyond his normal wails to some soft balladry and even some melody. "Broken World" sets the scene with an affair ending in paranoia ("I know that you want to get rid of me/I know that you have a plan for me"). "Why I Stay" maintains a country-mex flavor, but savors it at a slower tempo. "The Invitation," "Did You Wonder" and "Sympathy Crime" establish the action with some of the Procession's most solid tunes, effectively suggesting the settings that the stories convey. "The Visitor" and "The Waiter #4" hark back to the dirges of the band's earlier work, but with more elaborate arrangements. "A Cry For Love" is a particularly provocative, foreboding piece that does a dance of death to a tango/waltz rhythm. "Only One Way" ups the pace to a trot if not full gallop, "Fingerprints" is a clever string-driven ditty, and the album closes with the ballad of regret, "The One Who Has Disappeared." One mystery may or may not be solved, but the answers to the enigma of love and broken hearts are left open and bleeding, as they should be.
