Thursday, January 20, 2011

Song of the day

"Cold Irons Bound", by Tom Verlaine and the Million Dollar Bashers.



If you bring to mind Tom Verlaine's voice circa "Marquee Moon", and imagine what that voice would sound like if it tried to do an impersonation of Mark Lanegan, you will have some idea of what Verlaine sounds like on this song. Which is not a bad thing -- far from it, in fact -- but isn't entirely what I was expecting.

This is, of course, a Dylan song. The length is in its favour, as it is given time to percolate, slowly, malevolently, hauntingly. And Verlaine's guitar has all the room it needs to breathe.