From the Pacific Northwest comes a wonderfully eccentric musical collaboration. Crooked Mouth and Headstone Brigade, both one-man projects toiling in the darkfolk/neofolk genre, have joined forces. The Italian label I, Voidhanger is releasing their joint effort and thereby proving once again that the label’s tagline – Obscure, unique, and uncompromising visions from the Metal Underground – is rooted in factual truth.

Obscure is, namely, a pretty good word to describe the music on Crooked Headstone. Vocals, acoustic guitar, percussion and accordion, sometimes accompanied by a cello or a violin, create carnivalesque, melodramatic, emotion-laden soundscapes that appear to have a patina and stem from times gone by, from dark, remote places – and yet there were composed by two individuals living in the here and now.

On first listen, Crooked Headstone appears to be a collection of neofolk songs and sea shanties. But every additional listen will prove that it is much more than that. Some songs have a bit of shamanic magic to them, some a breath of psychedelia. There is also an audible progression from the beginning of the album to its end. The final tracks are more meditative, more spiritual, the lyrics are more concerned with existence in general than with personal affairs.

Of the album’s ten tracks three were written by Ian Campbell (Crooked Mouth), four by Egan Budd (Headstone Brigade), and two by both of them together, while one track, Nighttime in Sonnenheim, was written by Kim Larsen (Of The Wand and The Moon). Although you can tell the works of the different songwriters apart and recognize the affinities of each musician, all ten songs are united by a very peculiar, governing atmosphere – a mixture of morbidity and melancholia, but with an element of acceptance.

As far as comparisons are concerned, I can’t think of anything that would fit one hundred percent – which is a good thing, because it means that these guys have found a niche. Sometimes I was reminded of MewithoutYou, other times of Beirut. The music shares some similarities, but that’s it. Instead of other bands, something else popped up in my mind while I was listening to the album – a movie I saw. Regarding ambience and setting Crooked Headstone is close to The Lighthouse (2019).

This is a delightfully weird and welcome change from the same old same old. Definitely worth exploring. Recommended taster tracks: Old Shipwreck and The Sun Sets Behind Us. For the latter there is also an animated video available based on the legend of the Pied Piper.

(8/10 Slavica)

https://www.facebook.com/crookedmouthcampbell

https://www.facebook.com/headstonebrigade

https://i-voidhangerrecords.bandcamp.com/album/crooked-headstone