I still remember the first
time I heard Devon Graves (Buddy Lackey) and Psychotic Waltz many,
many moons ago, and his unique vocal style still gives me great
pleasure. I can still put on a Psychotic Waltz album with a big
smile on my face.
After he relocated to
Europe, started DeadSoul Tribe and using his birth name, he
has given me more than one heartache with some of the releases, but
none bigger than his last one 'The Dead Word'. I still find that
album boring and uninspired, so it was with some scepticism I put on
the new album, and what a surprise...
He has taken a definite
change of direction and has moved onto something completely new, but
do not worry: the result is still unmistakably Devon Graves all the
way! DeadSoul Tribe sounds much more aggressive and has never
sounded so pissed off before, the sound has taken a big step towards
darker and heavier sounds, and this new fresh approach is in my
opinion a move in the right direction.
'A Lullaby for the Devil'
features many new and exciting facets, exploring more extremes - but
the album is still sounding coherent. Devon Graves' voice is still
the one thing that sets them apart from so many other great bands,
and his more aggressive style on this album just shows even more of
his versatility.
Devon hasn't forgotten the
flute, and that dimension of their sound is still very much at hand;
the 6 minutes plus song "The Gossamer Strand" is build around the
flute and brings up a lot of memories... actually they are using the
flute more extensively on this album. All ten songs are great and
the album sounds complete as a whole, the production could be a
notch better, but that's the only small complaint I have about this
very good album.
In my World a big 'Welcome
back' is in order, because this album has re-established my belief
in Devon Graves as a song writer and entertainer. I feel that this
is a move in the right direction, and that the new and more modern
sound fits their style very well...
Recommended tracks;
"Goodbye City Life", "A Stairway to nowhere" and "A Lullaby for the
Devil"
