[rating=7.00]
Hey Mr Ferryman, album number ten since Mark Eitzel started his solo sojourn away from the realms of American Music Club, finds this ever-inventive artist shifting his stance towards a sound that’s fully flush with ethereal ambiance. Both somber and surreal, it conveys a sense of deep contemplation, the kind that the late Leonard Cohen might have turned to as part of some meditative musings. Enlisting former Suede guitarist Bernard Butler to guide the proceedings from behind the boards, the album allows Eitzel to remain fully centered, as Butler shapes the sound and set-up.
As a result, despite its hazy milieu, Hey Mr Ferryman still retains an ample allure. Butler’s atmospheric noodlings give the proceedings an autumnal feel, one that helps illuminate that sense of circumspect. “Just because someone loves you doesn’t mean they can be had,” he croons on the mournful “Just Because,” suggesting a mission statement that works well for the album overall. That aura of mystery often brings to mind Bauhaus or the darker designs of John Cale, especially in the way Eitzel’s icy delivery distances him from the listener and creates a sound less furious than foreboding. That, in turn, makes the more emphatic melodies — an unusually chipper “The Last Ten Years” and the decidedly determined “Let Me Go” — the album’s most solid standouts.
As a result, Hey Mr Ferryman is a steady guide, especially when it comes to navigating these darker waters. At times, it feels like Eitzel’s working in a trance, opting for a sound that’s surreal and elusive. Nevertheless, that still makes for distinct designs. Ultimately, if the songs do sometimes seem a bit harrowing, there’s still no need to worry. Suffice it to say, it’s merely Eitzel’s way of leaving an indelible impression.
