Born Under A Bad Neon Sign

he Flaming Stars' seventh full-length album finds Max Decharne and his partners in crime still walking the dark alleys of the film noir city they've created in song, and it remains a gloriously dingy place to visit. Suggesting Tindersticks fused with the muscle and attitude of the Bad Seeds, the Flaming Stars spin compelling stories from the sinister corners in the human heart, and Born Under a Bad Neon Sign is every bit as evocative as the pulp paperback illustration that graces its front cover. While broken spirits and lost souls are Decharne's stock in trade, the Cold War anxiety of "Senator McCarthy Paranoid Witch Hunt Blues" and "Cold War One" shows he hasn't lost sight of the larger world, and while there's a conspicuous lack of good vibes on this LP, Decharne's duet with Holly Golightly on the title track is tinged with a regret over lost love that suggests compassion still lurks somewhere within him. Decharne's comrades Huck Whitney on guitar and Joe Whitney on drums work wonders in conjuring the sinister ambience of this music, and they also contribute to the songwriting on several tracks. While the Flaming Stars have a very specific sound and outlook, they clearly haven't run out of new angles to explore, and Born Under a Bad Neon Sign is beautifully troubling music for sleepless nights of the heart and soul. ~ Mark Deming|