The dirty three Jim White, Mick Turner and Warren Ellis are back – although they have never really been gone: As busy as each of the musicians of the Australian trio has been (band projects, film soundtracks, curating the ATP festival), it’s almost a miracle that they found their way into the studio all together once more. »Toward The Low Sun« isn’t a sentimental late work though nor a bustling finger exercise. The enigmatic power of manic violins, nervous drums and lusty guitars still is a challenge for both, the musicians and the listeners. At least Warren Ellis describes the dynamics and the mutual inspiration while making music together as a unique element that still motivates them to perform together. After the powerful opening track »Furnace Skies« Dirty Three explore some more fragile sounds in the course of the album. Those are used as a build-up for further climaxes, so that the album title that might evoke the picture of the lonesome cowboy riding towards the setting sun, turns more and more into a apocalyptic phantasy.
David Grubbs
Whistle From Above
Drag City