Search - Willard Grant Conspiracy :: Mojave

Like a rustic version of the Tindersticks, Willard Grant Conspiracy croon soft songs about existential despair, crafting a worldview that balances Nietzsche with Bob Dylan on barbiturates. The downcast mood of tunes such as "Another Lonely Night" and the aptly titled "Love Has No Meaning," though, doesn't mean there isn't something to recommend. Like a harsh winter storm that wreaks both havoc and beauty in its unequivocal path, their third album, Mojave, isn't all emotional damage. The near-hymnlike solemnity of the song cycle creates a healing calm from which the singer's Mark Lanegan-meets-Nick Cave growl can pontificate. At times, it's less the sound of a band in the middle of the night than a mutated country ensemble ("Color of the Sun") broken down on the side of the road. A plethora of guests (the notable Edith Frost among them) add minor shades of variety to the proceedings. --Rob O'Connor