Cass McCombs - Catacombs

My computer problems from last week are officially over with and I'm back with a blogging vengance, kids. First off, the new album from singer/songwriter Cass McCombs, entitled Catacombs. Kind of rolls off the tongue, doesn't it? Due out on June 1st, Catacombs comes off a bit slower than McCombs' past albums that focused more on quirky melodic pop and sly lyrics. There's a lovely duet with Karen Black ("Dreams-Come-True-Girl"), brooding alt-country twang ("You Saved My Life"), and Beatles-reminiscent pop of "Harmonia." Overall, McCombs seems to have rediscovered a love for folk and alt-country, as most of Catacombs floats by at a breezy pace. Although that may seem like a good thing, a few of the tracks are a bit forgettable. Catacombs would be a far more memorable album if McCombs slid a few of those pop gems he's known for writing in the middle of the tracklisting instead.

DOWNLOAD: Cass McCombs - Catacombs [Domino]
Recommended Tracks: "You Saved My Life," "Harmonia," "Lionkiller Got Married."