Uncivilized Love
In the tumultuous years following his ‘99 sophomore jewelWord of Mouth Parade, Los Angeles singer-songwriter Gus Black became variously label-less, a cult hero (havingParade's "The Road Between" covered onLisa Marie Presley's high profiledebut), a father, and, on the evidence of this mature, introspective album, an infinitely  more complicated human being. His heart-on-the-sleeve emotionalism and '70s-leaning penchant for pop hooks remain as strong as ever, but they're now focused in service of songs as cautious and brooding as his previous chapters were wistfully effusive. Wed to a sophisticated, yet stripped-down production sense (the artist collaborating withEels/Old 97'sproducer Wally Gagel), Gus imparts a musical impressionism that matches the lyrical fancies of "Cadillac Tears" and "Violent Rain." Black credits fatherhood for the more expansive tone here, a mood that stretches from the playful ode to his son, "Debut," to the upbeat "Over the Great Wall" and compelling dirges that range from "12345" to an unexpected cover ofBlack Sabbath's "Paranoid." The title track captures the album's essence: Inviting musical simplicity, wed to a complex--and conflicted--world view, yet all too familiar in its evocative spell.--Jerry McCulley