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Justin Rutledge’s Man Descending will be released on April 8th in Canada and May 6th in the U.S. The sound of the new disc is much softer, smoother, and far more somber than the dusty Americana style of last year’s The Devil on a Bench in Stanley Park. The title of the new album as well as the content of the songs were inspired by the 1982 short story collection Man Descending by Guy Vanderhaeghe. Melissa McClelland, Ron Sexsmith, and Oh Susanna guest on the album.

Lyrically, the songs on Man Descending portray ten characters each experiencing an identity crisis of sorts and examining different aspects of their individual personalities as well as their stations in life.

The beatific “St. Peter” sets the mood as Justin’s delicate falsetto slides in over an understated melody accented with the softest banjo. Melissa McClelland lends her voice to the track as well as the cello swashed “This Too Shall Pass”. “The Wire” swells and recedes on waves of vibrant horns and languishing pedal steel.

“A Penny For The Band” hints at the kind of pretty, atmospheric pop-rock tempered with country that first made Linda Ronstadt and The Eagles stars, yet still there is that dark undercurrent to the melody anchoring Justin’s angelic croon. Ron Sexsmith and Parkdale Agnostic Ensemble guest on the track.

“Greenwich Time” perks up into a slicker Americana sound with a heavier emphasis on guitars and drums, and the splendid “Waterloo” has a trickier though much gentler arrangement. Oh Susanna guests on “San Sebastian”, Jenn Grant sings on “Everyone’s In Love”, and Hawksley Workman shows up for the poetic finale “Alberta Breeze”.

Luke Doucet is back, this time sharing the moniker spotlight with his band The White Falcon. Whereas his previous release Broken (And Other Rogue States) revelled in the sweet melancholia of a heartsick poet, Blood’s Too Rich has a tougher, dustier exterior. It’s the seventh album from Doucet, who is husband to White Falcon band member Melissa McClelland and label/tour mate to Justin Rutledge.

The opener “Long Haul Driver” is the sexy, smoky wild child of C.W. Mccall’s “Convoy”, while the catchy Americana “Blood’s Too Rich” has shades of Springsteen by way of Ryan Adams. A slightly distorted but still very upbeat rendition of The Cure’s “The Lovecats” provides a sunny interlude. Doucet’s daughter Chloë sings on the cover as well as the moody finale “Bombs Away”.

“First Day (In The New Hometown)” is a rousing display Western soul, “Take You Home” has a simmering “Crimson and Clover” (Joan Jett version) retro rock riff, and “The Commandante” is drenched in Latin brass, string, and piano embellishments that would do Alejandro proud.

The stand out track “The Day Rick Danko Died” is a gonzo melting pot of hillbilly washboard pluck and bluesy rock grind. The song would be equally fitting on an old Led Zeppelin album or a new release by Reverend Peyton.

Luke Doucet Official Site

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Justin Rutledge’s music has an organic charm akin to that of Ryan Adams, Jeffrey Foucault, and even Bruce Springsteen. With guests Melissa McClelland and Oh Susanna, The Devil On A Bench In Stanley Park is one of those overlooked gems that has been hidden in my house for the past year waiting for me to find and fall in love.

“Robin’s Tune” and “I’m Your Man, Your My Radio” have that dusky alt-country strum and steel, with Justin’s throatily tranquil voice wrapped around lyrics like “she’s music to my ears” and “green-eyed girls, they’ve got the faraway feel”.

Rutledge especially sounds like Adams on “Does It Make You Rain?”, as he sings yet more quotable lyrics – “when you move across the fair and the ferris wheels are bare”. Being a green-eyed girl who adores carnivals and poetic boys, I can’t help but get all slushy over these songs.

The thunderous stand out track “The Suffering Of Pepe O’Malley (pt. IV)” turns in a darker direction both musically and lyrically. Melissa McClelland provides backing vocals on many of the album’s tracks, and Oh Susanna sings harmony on the slow dripping “Backseat Honeymoon/Blue Is What I Do”.

Justin Rutledge is currently on tour with labelmate Luke Doucet. Dates and sound clips at the links below.

Justin Rutledge Official Site
Justin on MySpace
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Melissa McClelland is the wife of Luke Doucet, who produced and played on her 2006 release. Melissa was previously a background singer for Sarah McLachlan, who joins the husband and wife team on Thumbelina’s One Night Stand. I won’t be surprised if comparisons are drawn between the two female Canadian singer-songwriters, but I think McClelland’s pretty avant-garde style is more akin to Megan Palmer. Thumbelina’s One Night Stand is a darkly twisted and beautiful fairytale.

In addition to producing Thumbelina’s One Night Stand, Luke Doucet contributes backing vocals, vibes, wurlitzer, piano, pedal steel, pump organ, harmonica, guitars, and percussion. Banjo, melotron, chamberlain, trumpet, French horn, Celtic harp, alto and baritone sax are also present, among several other instruments and sound effects.

“Passenger 24″ rips open this album with a saucy, dusty piano and pedal steel hum beneath Melissa’s velvet chanteuse voice. Then “Iroquis Street Factory” softens the mood with a jazzy cabaret fable centered around factory workers. The languid “Dayton Ohio, 1903″ was written by Randy Newman. The album also includes two bonus tracks mixed by Jeff Trott.

Other songs on Thumbelina’s One Night Stand alternate between ethereal Sarah Mclachlan pop, smooth Madeleine Peyroux jazz, lilting Jenny Lewis indie-rock, and an indescribable, beautifully creepy blues that belongs in New Orleans or some Deep South swamp. The latter description is especially fitting for the eerie twang of “Go Down Matthew”, which features vocals by Sarah Mclachlan.

I was not granted permission to share an mp3, but you can hear samples from the album at Melissa’s MySpace page.

Melissa McClelland Official Site

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