Album Review: Thomas Truax 'Songs From The Films Of David Lynch'

Dig this for an album concept: Cover all the music from weirdo David Lynch flicks.

Cool huh?

I mean, Lynch makes the most medicated films ever. Watching his stuff makes you feel like you've wandered into some wrong experiment in someone's mind. Dreaming with your eyes jarred open.

Of course, the music has always been something that has aided the weirdness... and so, Thomas Truax has decided to take them into his own world and refashion in his new release, 'Songs From The Films Of David Lynch'. Okay, not the snappiest title, but hell, it might give this little indie label the chance to get decent sales on the back of Lynch's devotees... but is it any good?

Truax has a voice that sounds like he's been gargling with dry muesli and honey every morning. Honeyed, yet hammered by Marlboro Reds... and the best place to start a journey into the world of Lynchflicks is Chris Isaac. His take on 'Wicked Game' is as good a place to start as any... and subtracting some of that midnight by the lake creepiness, Truax takes the track to the dustbowl and jams it live with the gang. Same goes for 'Baby Please Don't Go', which veers off sharp, away from the pounding primal howl of Van The Man, toward the ditch. Distorto guitar washes over Cajun basement clapping and small stage growls.

The version of 'I Put A Spell On You' ain't a patch on Jay Hawkins, but what is? Okay. Those great soul versions. Whatever. This versions leans more on Screamin' than Nina's. It's wonky, black magickal rhythms are coupled with a slithering backward snare, giving the whole thing a really zoned out groove.

Elsewhere, Truax tackles The Big O's 'In Dreams' and 'Blue Velvet' in slapback echoed rock 'n' roll, delivering with convincing enough aptitude. However, this wouldn't be Lynchified if it weren't for the weirdness... so we get delivered up some 'Audrey's Dance' and 'In Heaven (Lady In The Radiator Song) which is more than happy to get those great staccato fuzz noises and meld them with the sound of someone trapped in a cupboard.

Basically, you could probably make a comp of the originals and have a bit more fun, but Truax's skews are pretty good fun. It'd sit in your record collection nicely... you'd listen to it enough to warrant spending the cash. In short - Thumbs Up. [Clef]