Fugitive Songs, the latest album from Melbourne’s great SPENCER P. JONES, came out in 2007, but thanks to the sporadic (i.e. non-existent) distribution of Spooky releases in America, I’m just now getting to it. The erstwhile BEASTS OF BOURBON axeman/tunesmith’s performances here are lower key than is often his wont; midtempos reign and Jones croons as much as his Dylanesque larynx allows. None of that indicates that he’s gone soft, mind you – it just means tunes like “I’m On to You” and “Ready or Not” (allegedly a love song) are seething diatribes instead of venomous attacks. Indeed, if anything, sedate country rockers like “Road Trip,” “News For You” and the jaunty-yet-menacing “Death Trip U.S.A.” are just as effective due to subtlety as his usual barroom rock ‘n’ rants. Other highlights include “She’s Not Kidding ‘Round,” written and sung by Jones’ co-guitarist PHIL GIONFRIDDO, and covers of *JOHN MAYALL*’s “Top of the World” and (WTF?) the *MOODY BLUES*’ “When I’m No Longer Poor.” The disk also includes his version of the wickedly funny “Thanks,” one of his greatest contributions to the Beasts of Bourbon catalog. Fugitive Songs doesn’t have the immediate impact of past Jones classics like Fait Accompli, but repeated listens reveal its grimy charms.
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http://spookyrecords.com
