A Funny Little Cross To Bear

Brief and powerful, Funny Little Cross to Bear collects five songs and one mesmerizing story, all of which were culled from a vault of live performances in record stores, on radio programs, and in clubs and concert halls around the world. Jim White leads off with "Stranger Candy," a casualty left off of 2007's wonderful Transnormal Skiperoo that explores (in typical Southern Gothic fashion) the lure of chemically altered consciousness. This track, as well as "Jailbird," "Plywood Superman," and "Jim 3:16" feature harmonies from bass player Fiona McBain and weepy guitar from Patrick Hargon, while "Alabama Chrome" and "Counting Numbers in the Air" rely solely on White's easy voice, electric guitar, and programmed drumbeats. For many, a live mini-EP would serve only in bridging the gap between studio albums, but in White's capable hands, he turns what could have been an exercise in spiritual bankruptcy into an instantly engaging, often funny, and ridiculously poignant electric mini-mass. ~ James Christopher Monger