Photo by mark e owen.
Brett and Rennie Sparks are the Handsome Family.
Photo by mark e owen.
Brett and Rennie Sparks are the Handsome Family.
"Honey Moon," The Handsome Family (Carrot Top)
I feel better just knowing that Brett and Rennie Sparks are on this earth. The musical married couple, who perform as the Handsome Family, obviously believe that true love is, well, weird. The Handsomes make country music mixed with the Far Side. It's like Jim Reeves genetically spliced with the Discovery Channel.
"Honey Moon," which celebrates' the Sparks' 20th year of marriage, is all about love, lust, commitment and such, but you've never heard it quite like this. In the Handsomes' world love is not like a red, red rose, it's like "a black fly buzzing in the sun/circling and landing, dancing like it's drunk" or "a white moth sipping tears from sleeping birds" or a hole in the roof after the tree crashed through during a storm and now "you can see starlight for the very first time."
In typical Handsome family fashion, "Honey Moon" is peaceful and often beautiful. The songs' drama is subtle. At least it's subtle until "The Loneliness of Magnets." For the chorus of that tune, Brett's normally drowsy baritone breaks into a strained, high-pitched vibrato - a warble that's almost a shriek as he sings about missing his mate.
One of the disc's most striking numbers (delivered as an elegant waltz) expresses romantic ardor through the mating habits of insects. Opening with "Darling, my darling, look at my waving antennae/my barbed jaw and hard red pincers ..., " it ends with the ultimate sacrifice: "Your snapping fangs don't scare me/I'll leap on your spine and love you till you gnaw me down to my wings/I'll give you everything."
Now, that, ladies and gentlemen, is love!
The Handsomes remain one of the most enchantingly original acts on the planet. May their love affair last forever.
n I'm still catching up on releases by locally based artists. Chances are, I always will be. Here's a couple more:
"In Concert (USA)," Zimology (Sheer Sound)
It may come as a surprise that an album recorded in Knoxville won the equivalent of a Grammy in South Africa, but this two-disc set that documents a 2005 performance by South African saxophonist (multi-instrumentalist, actually) Zim Ngqawana with Knoxville's Donald Brown (piano), Mark Boling (guitar), Rusty Holloway (bass) and Keith Brown (drums) was recently awarded "Best Traditional Jazz Album" in the South African Music Awards. There's a good reason. It's terrific. From the opening tracks, "Silkizim" and "San Song," the album is a blast. Led by Ngqawana, the musicians are all on top of their game. Whether it's in a short piece or a 15-minute excursion, the music is inspired.
At various times, Ngqawana utilizes whistles, harmonica, percussion and vocals to get his point across. It's not just music meant to impress technically. With its nods to native African sounds, this is emotionally charged and affecting.
Like John Coltrane in the 1960s, Ngqawana seems to be stretching for something transcendent. This is one disc that truly does reach for stellar regions.
"Ten Tall Tales," Charlie Morris (www.bluespages.com)
Charlie Morris is not a grandstanding blues guitarist or vocalist. Instead of shredding and wailing, Morris is a player who is all about the song. When Morris plays a solo (and he can knock you out when he puts his mind to it), he goes for the subtle and sweet.
A native of Oak Ridge, Morris splits his time between East Tennessee, Florida and Switzerland. "Ten Tall Tales" was recorded with Morris' Swiss musical compatriots (keyboardist Markus Baumer, drummer Marco Jeanrenaud and bassist David Clarke) and when the band hits a groove it's a beautiful thing. Check out the guitar and organ interplay on "Monsieur Miracle." Morris' genial demeanor comes across well throughtout the album and Morris favors songs with plenty of humor.
"Ten Tall Tales," is Morris' most easygoing, lovable disc to date.
Wayne Bledsoe may be reached at 865-342-6444 or bledsoe@knews.com. He is also the host of "All Over the Road" midnight Saturdays to 4 a.m. Sundays on WDVX-FM.
© 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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