Domino
2009
Catacombs
About This Album
On the album he released previous to 2009's Catacombs, Baltimore singer/songwriter Cass McCombs began moving away from the reverb-heavy, lo-fi sound and busy arrangements of his first two records in favor of a more direct sound with cleaner production. Here, McCombs strips away the remaining traces of his early bedroom-crafted indie pop sound and aims for something simpler that takes the focus away from the sound of the record and places it firmly on the wordy, emotionally charged songs and McCombs' vocals. The vocals are always up to the task; McCombs has ditched the jittery yelping he sometimes used on Dropping the Writ and instead settles into a warm and intimate style that instantly draws the listener in closer. The songs are mostly strong, too; almost uniformly quiet and introspective, they create a mood that lingers throughout the album like a melancholy haze. Tracks like the yearning "Dreams Come True Girl" or the tender, epic "Harmonia" cast a quietly desperate spell; in much the same way American Music Club did, only with less sarcastic wit and more resigned sadness. Only the lightly skipping "Prima Donna" breaks the feeling and adds some much-needed sunshine.
Track List (try tracks 1,2,3,5,6,9,10 and 11)

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.