Cass McCombs – Heartmind
In Cass McCombs’ ever-enigmatic evolution, Heartmind, out today on ANTI is some of McCombs’ less opaque lyricism, although for Cass, all is still open to interpretation. For Cass, music is metaphor, used to address the human condition; while the album is unapologetically lurid with cultural references to Tammy Wynette, S.E. Hinton, Elon Musk to perhaps ground his mystique and offer a bit more accessibility into his mysterious mind.
A departure from his last album Tip of the Sphere, McCombs has pulled together an incredible band but is the sole guitarist. Charlie Burnham, Wynonna Judd, and the Chapin sisters shine on harmonies; Frank LoCastro expertly tickles the ivories; and other guest stars add flute flourishes, lap steel, letting McCombs’ crooning and poetry take center stage.
McCombs’ guitar playing especially shines on the opener, “Music is Blue,” with the legendary Shahzad Ismaely on bass. “Karaoke” is one of his catchiest tunes ever, Joe Russo’s drum beat driving a crystalline dance beat;”New Earth” is an affable post-apocalyptic tune contemplating technological disruption and the rebirth of San Francisco. “Unproud Warrior” contemplates the inner dilemma of young military members; while “Blue, Blue Band” is a classic country crooner, “Belong to Heaven” is an anthem for those of that remain after dear friends depart (the album is dedicated to the memory of Chet JR White, Sam Jayne, and Neal Casal), and seems to regard the ambivalence between the significance and banality of death and existence (“how now brown cow?”). The most opaque is the title track, closer “Heartmind” featuring Isaac Alderson on the Uilleann pipes, which I had JUST been reading about in Richard Thompson’s autobiography and wanted to hear. It’s an appropriate closer, matching in tone the lyricism of the rest of the at times danceable other songs on Heartmind.
It’s another Cass record – he’s only consistent in his ability to craft a beautiful, puzzling song; no two songs or albums are the same or alike, but it’s always special. Listening to his repertoire is kind of like reading House of Leaves- you can sometimes spot trends, search for some clue that may be meaningless or may reveal some insight into who this artist really is. You may get dizzy, but you’ll continue to return to the maze over and over.
