County Line – Cass McCombs County Line – Cass McCombs (Free Download / Buy)

I’m a self-proclaimed sucker for music with retro vibes, and even more of a sucker for songs with excellent finger-picking. Lucky for me, Cass McCombs’ (@cassmccombs) latest album boasts both of these, plus a promising spot in my long-term music archive. Self-produced alongside Ariel Rechtshaid, who also worked with Cass on his previous album Catacombs, Wit’s End has a slight Beatles-esque feeling with an underlying psychedelic sound. McCombs’ crafty songwriting style of musingly tongue-in-cheek lyrics combined with his basic but tight instrumentation makes this a memorable collection of tunes that are listenable from beginning to end.

The album begins with my favourite song “County Line”, which serves as the standout track on the album. For some reason, I find it to be an ultra-sexy, modern folk version of Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On”, donning a smooth sound with velvety vocals and lyrics that could easily be interpreted as seductive. “Lonely Doll” follows, beautifully and gently escorting you into the enveloping trance that follows throughout the rest of the album.

Tracks such as “Saturday Song” and “Memory’s Stain” create the impression of comfortable rainy days spent idle, while songs like the minimalist “Hermit’s Cave” provide the necessary awakening. The final track, “Knock Upon The Door”, encompasses what McCombs sets out to portray through his music. At over nine minutes in length, it’s the perfect, epic way to end the album.

The album has a contemplative, mellow quality to it overall. A journey through the poetic lyrics, dark piano parts, delicate guitar instrumentation and bits of percussion make it seem as though each song was created to be paired with those right before and after it. Cass McCombs exudes brilliance in his storytelling abilities and has released yet another cohesive and enchanting album.