Mark Lanegan
Scraps at Midnight
SubPop
This is the third solo effort from Mark Lanegan, who many may know from his work as frontman for Screaming Trees. That was a long time ago, but he hasn’t lost any of the power and depth that distinguished that gig. And he still has that dark, brooding presence. What he has managed to do in the time spent since is develop an even more compelling presentation and surround himself with world class musicians. Lanegan has one of the greatest voices in rock, and on this album he’s found the material to match it. He seizes your attention with the reverb-drenched, Doors-meet-the-Ventures sound of the opener, “Hospital Roll Call.” Then he lures you closer and closer until you feel like it’s the two of you alone in the dark and he’s sharing a sad, unspeakable truth in “Praying Ground.” Then, just when you think you are beginning to understand, he pushes you away with the final cut “Because of This,” and
returns to the swirling cosmos that belongs to only him. This is truly an accomplished work from an artist who has found his muse. Like a racecar emerging from a pileup unscathed, Lanegan clearly has survived and transcended the scene that initially thrust him into the spotlight. SubPop Records, P.O. Box 20645, Seattle, WA 98102
