This cat is an odd one to describe. His work is an even odder proposition.
Thank You For Stickin' With Twig, out now on DFA, is the latest from Slim Twig. His last album, 2014's pretty darn good A Hound At The Hem, was decidedly more lyrical and melodic in spots. If that one owed a huge debt to Tom Waits, this one owes a pay-out to the late Frank Tovey and his Fad Gadget.
Of course there are pleasant moments here, like on "Textiles on Mainstreet" which careens like a stoned Van Dyke Parks down a darkened alley, or the Air-like "She Stickin' With Twig", but the album is largely a bit denser one than the last one. Cuts like "Fadeout Killer" marry the hooks of both Waits and Dr. John with something that sounds like a Captain Beefheart rough track playing underneath, while the awesome "Live In Live On Your Era" offers up a sort of techno-crunch in line with Sparks and Suede, in some weird way. "Trip Thru Bells" unleashes some power-chords in search of some Tolkien lyrics to make this a near Zep stomper. That delicate balance between rock and something else -- electronica? -- is what makes this album a compelling listen overall. Thank You For Stickin' With Twig is bold and a bit crazy but it's also one of the most pleasantly surprising records of this summer.
Thank You For Stickin' With Twig is out now via DFA. Follow Slim Twig via his blog.