Track Listing

1. Seafaring Song
2. Raven
3. Salvation
4. Who Built The Road
5. Come On Over (Turn Me On)
6. Back Burner
7. Flame That Burns
8. Shotgun Blues
9. Keep Me In Mind Sweetheart
10. Something To Believe
11. Trouble
12. Sally Don't You Cry

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #452 in Music
• Released on: 2008-05-12
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
He has a voice made of vintage leather, probably sprinkles tobacco on his cornflakes, cut his rock-incisors in the Screaming Trees and Queens of the Stone Age and is currently also one half of post-grunge supergroup The Gutter Twins. She has a voice like a mild summer breeze whistling through a meadow and once drizzled aural honey over Belle & Sebastian's twee indie-pop. It's like a marriage made from a Hell's Angel and waiflike virgin choirgirl--you can just imagine the disparaging looks from the vicar. But as Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan renew the vows originally made on a porch swing with 2006's well received bout of twilight Americana, Ballad of the Broken Seas, this follow-up can be brandished as proof that opposites don't only attract, but can grow together even as they grow apart. See, on Sunday at Devil Dirt Lanegan's weighty presence expands to a point where it obscures the moon--especially on "The Raven" and "Back Burner" where his Johnny Cash/Tom Waits croak reaches optimum levels of exaggeration--as Campbell flits further into the background, weaving between Morricone-esque, spaghetti western strings and sewing a beautiful ethereal quality into the seams. And such vocal juxtapositions make for intoxicating harmonies and stark, memorable impressions. But there is still also a real gentle magic to be found when they operate on an equal footing, as on "Trouble" or the sultry "Come on Over (Turn Me On)", the latter begging to be a James Bond theme. --James Berry

CD Description
Teaming up for the second time, Isobel Campbell (formerly of Belle & Sebastian) and Mark Lanegan (formerly of The Screaming Trees and myriad legendary grunge off-shoots) forge an unlikely but perfectly balanced mutual reliance. Campbell's soft, almost jazzy voice is the worthy foil of Lanegan's booming baritone, the two of them equal parts soothing and menace. A similarly bluesy feel hangs over from 2006's 'Ballad Of The Broken Seas' record, but here it is more prominently felt in Lanegan's contribution to lead vocals. Again, Campbell takes care of production, writing and arrangement duties.

Customer Reviews

Different to first album but brilliant
After reading some mediocre reviews of this album I was shocked when I finally heard it and it turned out that I really enjoyed listening to it. It's clearly a step away from the first album, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. This album has much more of blues, kind of Nashville Skyline-era Bob Dylan, feel to it, and I personally think that their vocals work much better together here, whereas the first album often felt like one or other of the vocal tracks had simply been 'tagged on'.

All of the tracks on this album seem to gel together very well, and although there aren't really any stand-out 'single' type tracks, I do not think that this is a bad thing at all.

It might take a few listens to really get into it, but this is well worth a few hours on a sunday afternoon. Don't expect it to be highly similar to the first album and you won't be disappointed.

The sixties with a bullet !
This is a really engaging record which got under my skin from the openings bars of 'Seafaring song'. Incredibly retro with Mark Lanegan sounding like smokey sixties crooner Lee Hazlewood to Isobel's Nancy Sinatra with Burt Bacharach strings thrown in for good measure.
Hard to categorize...Is it Pop, C&W, Nu-Folk, Indie ???
Whatever it is this eclectic fusion of vocals and lush instrumentals just reaches parts that other recent quirky releases just cannot reach.
As rich as Java coffee and dark chocolate.

Hail the King and Queen!!!!
I must say that I am very impressed by this album. I didn't appreciate the other album done by these 2 artists but this one hits the bullseye!! It has the same sort of atmosphere that is created with the Robert Plant duet album, but this cd creates much more of a relaxing atmosphere.
There isn't a weak track on this cd. Don't hesitate on buying it, even if the only reason why I bought it without even having heard a note is for the King- Mark Lanegan. As I do understand Isobel Campbell has written the majority of the material and Mark has given his final touches.
If you appreciate this album, I also suggest you buy The Gutter Twins- Saturnalia, anothe masterpiece. Take advantgae while these artists are in their highest creative veins!!! and you can say I know those guys and impress with musical culture.