No one is going to throw on an Arlo McKinley record at a party. The man paints with dark, but vibrant colors, and the mention of Nick Cave as an influence on his latest album, ‘This Mess We’re In’ seems apt. I suppose Wes Anderson, fits, too, though much of Wes Anderson is humorous, and there isn’t much of whimsy or magic in this album. It’s stark, but beautiful, and its beauty is enhanced by the quality of the band that has come in to back McKinley on his sophomore effort: keyboardist Rick Steff (Lucero), drummer Ken Coomer (Wilco), and guitarist Will Sexton. The string arrangements consistently enhance the material throughout the record.
That Nick Cave influence is at strongest on ‘Stealing Dark From the Night Sky’ as McKinley sings, “In a lake of fire we’ll surely drown.” But the song also references the Jackson Browne classic ‘Running on Empty;’ McKinley weaves in images, metaphors, and references, none of which feel forced. His voice, which sounds like Tyler Childers crossed with an ancient oak tree, melds seamlessly with the strings.
As I listen to this album, I question exactly how to categorize it. There’s not much overt twang, but for McKinley’s voice. The organ-filled ‘To Die For’ sounds like throwback rock, and my intuition says this album will get coded as alt-country. But I’m not sure it should be. I hear as much southern rock here as country, and maybe some other things, too. ‘Dancing Days’ sounds like an updated version of heartland rock, which isn’t surprising, given that Arlo is from Cincinnati — sonically and lyrically, we’re not that far from Steve Earle’s ‘Guitar Town’.
Arlo might’ve been discovered by John Prine, but there are lot of similarities to Earle, and they go well beyond the obvious visual similarity. Both struggled with addiction and other personal traumas. But as McKinley sings in the title cut, “The bad days do get better,” and this is a conviction he shares with the Hardcore Troubadour. Both have suffered mightily, and they know real pain, but they still have hope.
In my other life, as a fiction writer, I have a story that really cuts loose at the end. I worried I overdid. A trusted professional told me, “You earned that ending.” In these songs, McKinley never goes easy on you. He beats you up pretty hard, but he’s doing that for a reason — he’s going somewhere with this. The payoff on these songs is worth it on every track. There’s not a weak song here, and never once does McKinley ask anything of you that he does not pay off you for trusting him.Â
This is not, as I began by saying, a record you’re going to put on at a party. It’s not a record that’s “happy,” or “fun,” but it is emotionally fulfilling and more than worth your time and attention. With ‘This Mess We’re In’ Arlo McKinley is showing that he might be one of the best songwriters of his generation.
Track list: 1. Don’t Mind 2. City Lights 3. Back Home 4. Stealing Dark From the Night Sky 5. To Die For 6. Dancing Days 7. This Mess We’re In 8. Rushintherug 9. I Wish I10. Where You Want Me 11. Here’s to the Dying Record Label: Oh Boy Records Release Date: 15th July Buy ‘This Mess We’re In’ now
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