It has been a dry month, and most of the albums I had been looking forward to proved either bland (Crowded House, Sleater-Kinney) or patchy and frustrating (John Grant). No such problem with John Murry. Over these eight years (fifteen, if you count Murry's brilliant collaborations with Bob Frank) the man has not put a foot wrong. Three singles released prior to The Stars Are God's Bullet Holes spelled quality like little else this year.
"Oscar Wilde (Came Here To Make Fun Of You)" featured intriguing lyrics and a classic John Murry melody. Dark, grim and oddly appealing. "I Refuse To Believe (You Could Love Me)" was typically timeless and untypically upbeat and had those infectious backing vocals you fell in love with on The Graceless Age. Finally, "Ones + Zeros" is a ballad of stark elegance that is worthy of anything Murry has written so far.
It is not just about the singles though. Lyrically and melodically, the album is a hoot. Murry is still exorcising his demons and still comes up with the best tunes in current rock music. The man is just a classic songwriter, or how else would you account for the chilling beauty of "Di Kreutser Sonata" (John Parish should be applauded for the production on this one) or the devastating lyricism of "Perfume & Decay"? Again, this stuff oozes class. My only complaints are to do with the the final couple of songs that seem a little underwhelming after such a glorious seven-song run. I have heard that it is Murry's ambition to record a cover for each one of his albums (and "What Jail Is Like" from the last album was a towering achievement and an improvement on the Afghan Whigs original), but Duran Duran's "Ordinary World" sounds obvious and straightforward. Then, after the brief outburst of colourful noise, we get the minimalist "Yer Little Black Book" that perhaps needed a little more meat to it. I would have much preferred to have the hidden song "You Don't Miss Me (So Long)" as the album's legitimate closer. That one is a thrashing rocker with great restraint.
Still, those are minor complaints, and in context of John Murry's discography The Stars Are God's Bullet Holes is another triumph. Also, if you have been following John Murry's story over the years (childhood trauma, heroine addiction, burned house, divorce), you will be pleased to know that the man is doing fine. He's got a girlfriend now and a house in Ireland. And, most importantly to us heartless onlookers, he's got the songs. Some of the best he has ever written, informed by new scars and revelations.
RECOMMENDED THIS MONTH:
John Murry - The Stars Are God's Bullet Holes
Lucy Dacus - Home Video
