South San Gabriel

South San Gabriel

The Carlton Chronicles: Not Until the Operation's Through (Misra)

There's this black cat that's taken up residence in our sporadically mowed back yard, pretending to be a lion in the more jungle-like parts, but mostly taking refuge from the pit bulls next door. It's this fella that takes center stage in The Carlton Chronicles. Will Johnson penned his latest South San Gabriel outing from the POV of an ailing cat, and while the concept is obscure at points, thanks to the Centro-Matic frontman's oft-mangled warble, even if one stripped away the vocal tracks, The Carlton Chronicles would remain a lovely work. Take "Affection's the Pay," for example. Drummer Matt Pence marries the cadence of the most sensual Dirty Three reverie to Johnson's sweet harmonies, which are reminiscent of Low. "I Feel Too Young to Die" is the true bellwether of the album: The guitars are sweetly smoky, chugging gently and underscoring Johnson's oblique lyrics ("I live in magnolia, I am in your paintbrush"). Johnson scores a direct hit to the solar plexus in articulating the anxiety faced in shuffling off our mortal coil, dreaming of the "new home" that waits on the other side. Like a big back yard safe from snapping pit bulls and the tax collector. It's a beautiful dream, one you won't want to end.