September 09 2024
The latest from Marfa Lights, a self-titled concept album crammed with more than a dozen tracks, is
classic Americana at its core but deftly blends in Latin horns, folk and a little bit of spacey guitar and
synth for a brilliantly bizarre, but equally fun effort.
The concept, as the band tells it, is a Gen X’er driving his father’s old Ford Ranchero, from
Colorado to Texas to Mexico City. His only entertainment is a case of 8 track tapes and a copy
of Jack Kerouac’s Mexico City Blues. With this set up, the band is able to cover off on a span of
themes about the future and what lies ahead, how technology has screwed the world up, while
still giving nods to nostalgia and how much things have changed – good and bad.
The album opens on “Ranchero Squire”; at just over 30 seconds, it’s a spoken word description
of the protagonist’s new/old car, over guitars, horns and a triangle, the first hint that this is far
from just another modern Americana band. “Heart Like a Bruise,” finds him on the road, his
hand out the window, setting off on the adventure, soundtracked by an addictive mix of Lone
Star Americana – sounding like Joe Ely mixed with Doug Sahm, and plenty of Latin horns.
From there the album expands into songs about struggles and regret backed by a nice Bossa
Nova beat (“The Wolf”), nostalgia (“Nobody Reads The Paper” – a deceptively uncomplicated
song, but one of the record’s strongest moments) and disappearing for a while (“Mexico City”).
Other highlights include “Dreams Are Dreams,” a bittersweet ballad that’s surprisingly tender
and “8 Track Cadillac,” a trippy, mellow number that sounds unlike most of the other songs on
the record.
Marfa Lights is a peculiar record that charms thanks to the perfect mix of different musical styles
and themes, though oddly specific to this narrative, that still manage to be relatable to just about
anyone listening.
John B. Moore has been covering the seemingly disparate, but surprisingly complimentary genres of Americana and punk rock for the past 20 years.
Blurt/New Noise Magazine/InSite Atlanta/NeuFutur Magazine
twitter @jbmoore00