It's strange to think that Tim Kinsella has been at it for about decade now, using his inexplicable charms and off-key personality with groups like Cap'n Jazz, Make Believe, Owls, Friend/Enemy, and his long-standing Joan Of Arc project to create an impressive and utterly distinctive catalog. The man's certainly prolific, releasing at least one new addition to an extensive body of work each year. Admittedly, many of Kinsella's projects are hit-or-miss affairs, but I think that that adds to the excitement of the ordeal- the fact that Kinsella is resolutely unafraid to take risks, try new things, fall flat on his face (see: 'The Gap'), or succeed admirably (keep reading) makes it seem like he's pursuing some massive, extraordinary goal and we're all along for the ride.
With a title like Joan Of Arc, Dick Cheney, Mark Twain' I was expecting a set of songs with some rather strong political overtones- this is an election year, after all- but instead what I got was, from a strictly linguistic vantage point, pretty much more of the same from Kinsella- abstract contemplations (the rather poignant 'The Details Of The Bomb'), lengthy diatribes (Kinsella's laundry list of conspiracies on '80's Dance Parties Most Of All'), and just about everything in between.
Musically speaking, Joan Of Arc, Dick Cheney, Mark Twain' finds Kinsella and co. exploring vast, uncharted sonic territory and the results are pretty fucking phenomenal- great melodies, tight arrangements, and Joan Of Arc's trademark off-kilter imprint. Though about a third of the new batch of tracks are pretty useless (though still kind of entertaining), this is the kind of baggage one must learn to endure when experiencing any Kinsella-related project. The other two-thirds, however, are really something to behold: opener 'Questioning Benjamin Franklin's Ghost' has a slight Weezer-ish edge to it, but is anchored quite nicely by some nimble synth work and a small string section. I hear Tom Waits all over the suitably titled 'Queasy Lynn' and Kinsella's venom-induced whisper on 'Abigail, Cops, and Animals' sounds like something US Maple's been trying to write for the past ten years. 'Fleshy Jeffrey' is also a highlight, featuring some nifty vibraphone work, Kinsella's head-scratching reflections ('I only have one question left unanswered by Sid Vicious and my mother') and, of all things, a mighty catchy hook.
This new record marks a significant step in Kinsella's trajectory as an artist- Joan Of Arc, Dick Cheney, Mark Twain' is probably the most focused record of his decade-plus career and an album that probably displays Kinsella's talents better than anything he's accomplished thus far.
