Songs in a Northern Key
Released in the wake of a trend among alt-country vets to tweak  twang with summery pop, Varnaline's fifth full-length is no teenage  symphony to God. If anything,Songs in a Northern Keytakes the  opposite tack: It's dark, thorny, and full of mutterings about middle  age ("My aching back is filled with jagged cracks"). Swamped with  reverb, full of the drone of wheezy old organs and cranky guitar  feedback, and recorded in faulty fidelity reminiscent of aDinosaur Jr.disc, it's a clear sidestep away from Varnaline's broad, melodic 1998 album,Sweet Life. "Indian  Summer Takedown" is a highlight and plenty catchy, but the balance of  the album is dominated by brittle ballads ("Blackbird Fields," "Murder  Crow") and noise rock ("Song," "Let It All Come Down"). Mostly a solo  effort from Varnaline mastermind Anders Parker,Songs in a Northern  Keyis convincing proof that bleak is beautiful.--Anders Smith  Lindall