Anyone familiar with Tim Evans’ work with Sea Scouts, Bird Blobs and Degreaser will be well versed in his particular brand of fetid psych-swamp nastiness, a style that can be traced back to the ‘80s and Australia’s rock underground.
This time, accompanied by his finger-picked acoustic guitar, Wretched Wings embraces another direction, while retaining much of his familiar grim aesthetics. With titles like Rotting Spring and Dark Fire, early on, listeners are reminded of Swans leader Michael Gira’s, acoustic work, while later tracks are reminiscent of Townes Van Zandt. The sparse arrangements reside in all-consuming reverb and are littered with the occasional guitar overdub or simplistic ad-hoc percussion and all this gives the record a lived-in feel. As the record progresses, Evan’s voice shifts between haunted, bluesy and downtrodden, to something better described as ethereal-country. Some of the later songs are imbued with a surprising sense of hope and lightness with Long Long Time and the final track Mornin’ Train borrowing a ‘60s folk vibe proving that Evan’s can do just about anything. While the strains of melancholy remain in his songwriting, with this new release, Evans offers hope where before there was none.
By Luke Fussell
