After spending their first two albums portraying themselves as a drunken gypsy tango combo playing in Weimar-era Germany, Firewater seem to have either lost their razor-edged focus or are trying somewhat vainly to paint on a much wider canvas. Last year's Psychopharmacology was not bad, but had Tod A. and his friends showing a much less sinister side than we were prepared for. Songs were either too straight forward for their own good ("Get Out Of My Head", "7th Avenue Static") or seemed as if they were trying a little too hard to keep things tilted at a precarious angle (the title track being the most glaring example). The lyrics still had the same wit and grandeur as before but seemed almost wasted on songs not up to the challenge.
This year sees the release of their 4th album, The Man on The Burning Tightrope and, although it seems like they are getting the group back to its fighting weight, their steps feel hesitant on the majority of this disc.
In keeping with the title of this album, many of the songs here sound like an evil circus group auditioning for a stage production of Wings of Desire (liberal use of calliope, rolling snares and loud cymbals, wailing horn section). A couple of tunes have a lovely Cuban feel to them ("Ponzi's Revenge" and "Too Much (Is Never Enough)") The rest however, sound like the straightforward rock they were dabbling in on the last record and leaves many of those songs wanting.
A noticeable number are also instrumental tracks which might help explain why the lyrics on this disc seem pretty hackneyed in compare to what Mr. A is usually capable of. In previous releases, he was able to paint surreal Francis Bacon-like portraits of the underbelly of the streets. Here, he seems to be resting on his laurels and letting couplets like, "Fuck it, don't fight it/Bend it, don't break it", slip by without blinking. For a first album, this might seem pretty good but hold it up against a song like "Refinery" (from 1996's Get Off The Cross...) and you will see just how far he seems to have fallen.
To be sure, there are some total gems to be found on this disc. "Too Much.." rolls along on a bed Latin percussion and plays with the sort of desperate imagery that Raymond Chandler excelled in. As well, the playful, horn-drenched ode to "The Vegas Strip" will delight anyone who has spent any amount of time in Sin City. There is also great attention given to the sequencing and mastering of this disc (tracks sometimes melt into one another to excellent effect) that gives the whole affair a feel that was sometimes missing from previous efforts.
For someone just introducing themselves to the work of Firewater, this is not a bad place to start, but you will find yourselves more drawn to their earlier, leaner and meaner efforts. |