Amigo The Devil - Yours Until The War Is Over
Amigo The Devil - Yours Until The War Is Over
Amigo the Devil (Danny Kiranos) is another in that classic folk tradition of the dark and dusty storyteller. Just like Dave Von Ronk, Leonard Cohen or especially Tom Waits before him, Kiranos spins grim and grimy tales about drugs, crime and the underbelly of American life.
This one seems to be really hit or miss for people. And I guess I can see how some people might bristle at the old-fashioned directness of some of these songs. Not that there’s no subtext or irony here. It’s just that it’s only one layer deep. Whereas most art these days is buried so far down that its meaning can’t possibly be exhumed.
These are songs with simple twists and turns. But satisfying ones if you choose to listen to them with an innocent ear. There’s an honest joy in listening to Kiranos plucking and growling out these stories of drug-addled revenge fantasies and stick-ups gone wrong.
And as the line slowly blurs between his characters and Kiranos himself, there’s an even deeper joy. We get a glimpse at the relationship between the story and the storyteller. And it’s truly something to behold.
It’s not perfect, but I think it’s more than worth your time.
Streaming below via Bandcamp.
Highlights: It’s All Gone • I’m Going To Heaven • Once Upon A Time At Texaco Pt. 1
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