The Blacks deal in what might be described as country-goth, a rather spooky off-shoot of the alt-country movement. Their second offering is filled with the same moody, ramshackle sprit that made their first album so rewarding. While there is a bit too much reliance on the bull-horn distortion effect on vocals, it's a solid effort overall. Danny Black's impassioned voice helps drive home tunes like "Head on a String" and the clever "Fake Out Jesus." The dull cover of
Tom Waits' "Goin' Out West," however, has nothing on the original. ~ Tim Sheridan