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On their latest and first for Merge Records, Lateness of Dancers finds Hiss Golden Messenger affirming their past considerations and handing hope to their fiction. Joined by members of Megafaun, Mountain Man, and Lambchop, MC Taylor has crafted an album that builds on all of the genius that was 2013’s Haw .
“Saturday’s Song” arrives early and delivers some good vibes and a strong peace of mind that only becomes more steady as the record spins. “Mahogany Dread” brings a Bruce Hornsby and The Range kind of heat (a good thing IMO) while “Chapter & Verse (Lone’s Song)” introduces a few nods to prevailing Americana production without ruining the sentiment or authenticity of lines like, “I’ve been the last/I’ve been the first/I’ve read the book chapter and verse/I’ve lived through times when almost wasn’t good enough.”
Whether it’s Taylor leaving his mandolin in the rain on “Day O Day (A Love So Free),” singing “Rock of Ages” ‘til he was crosseyed in “Black Dog Wind (Rose of Roses),” or taking the good news and carrying it away on “Drum,” Taylor understands that actualization is a journey and not a destination – a place where “doing” and “being” can be joined.
