Oxbow

The Narcotic Story

BY Jill MikkelsonPublished Jul 18, 2007

Six albums in, the most mesmerising aspect of Oxbow is still Eugene Robinson’s charismatic and heartfelt vocal performance. While the lo-fi, blues crusted, traditional genre defying music obviously plays a part in his storytelling, the soul of this album rests in his vocalisations. Robinson’s seemingly drug-induced theatrics range from tortured howls to delirious mumblings, from bitter sweet, off-key crooning to faint, pain ridden whispers, from incomprehensible grunting to deranged yelping, oft times sounding like a teenage, straight-jacketed Tom Waits throwing a temper tantrum in the local rehab facility’s padded cell. Disturbed in a very pensive way, the drama is honest in its experiments and as with any album of this nature, it has to be taken in as a whole to appreciate its depth. The Narcotic Story is a deviant and eclectic narrative with the ability to appeal to both Pitchforkers and Lambgoaters alike.
(Hydra Head)

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