Buzzard Left The Bones is the debut album by London cellar dwellers The Damn Jammage, an ensemble from the dark side of the tracks that merge numerous genres from gypsy folk to rock from jazz to punk to create a unique and darkly seductive sound, a sound that both intrigues and chills to the bone.
Picture if you will a seedy club on the wrong side of the tracks, with a maverick DJ spinning a mix of Nick Cave, Gallon Drunk, The Pogues, Barry Adamson, Dream City Film Club, John Murry and Tom Waits. Now imagine a band set up in the corner of the club that welds all those influences together, throws in a heap of attitude, a dose of originality and feature among their number a frontman with the swagger of Jim Jones (of The Jim Jones Revue) and the gravelly voice that can only be achieved by gargling a combination of whisky and sand,conducting from the front. Add to that already potent mix a dusky female counterpart on vocal interplay and harmonies, piano, violin, accordian, mariachi horns, sharp guitar riffs, marching drums, the kitchen sink, etc and you might just have an idea where The Damn Jammage are coming from.
The album opens with a sampled slice of spoken word before No Rest From The Crooked kicks in, a devilish opening salvo, instantly setting the mood with a collision of tinkering piano, stomping drums and frontman Danny Rapscallion’s grizzled Nick Cave meets Waits-esque croon. The track is a glorious ramshackle introduction to the album that careers to a wonderfully frenzied crescendo whilst the vocals become more a frantic howl before the conclusion.
Following on from the rowdy opening number we’re served up the aforementioned vocal harmonies and sawing violin as the band deliver Life Goes On, showcasing a more subdued side to the band’s sound, before the band deliver an early highlight in the shape of the macabre brilliance of She Drowned, a piano and percussion led oddity that adds a jazzy dramatic anti-folk feel to proceedings, complete with a wonderful male/female vocal hook.
The title track adds a further dimension beginning with a solo guitar being plucked before developing into a widescreen, cinematic dusty Americana number with muted trumpet, that wouldn’t sound out of place on something like The Proposition soundtrack. If You’re Paranoid And You Know It (Clap Your Hands) is a two and half minute, sinister, creepy alternative nursery rhyme that has to be heard to believe, it’s disturbing yet completely compelling and impossible not to hum along to.
Beautiful Drunk is another firm favourite, opening with a rumbling double bass, The Damn Jammage explore that jazz influence further, with New Orleans styled horns and piano complimenting Danny and fellow singer Jasmine Cave as they trade vocal licks. In complete contrast, In My Dreams (I’m Still Drinking With You, The Damn Jammage deliver the perfect 60’s pop homage, with restrained crooned vocals (think Shane MacGowan meets Sinatra) and twangy electric guitar hooks.
Buzzard Left The Bone is an inventive, darkly seductive and ultimately fun romp from start to finish, straddling genres and avoiding classification whilst leaving the listener with a nagging hook and a sly grin welded to their face. If you’ve not heard The Damn Jammage I highly recommend you down tools and take a walk on the wild side.
Rhythm & Booze Rating 10
www.damnjammage.co.uk
http://damnjammage.bandcamp.com/