I heard the opening track - Drama Queens - on the radio, and immediately bought this album; that's the first time I've done that for years, as most modern music - even alternative stuff - just doesn't set me on fire. Sartain, however, has an immediacy, an honesty and a skill for song-writing that puts most of his peers in the shade.
Darkness, passion, intensity and melody pour from his music. He fuses blues, rockabilly and punk, yet transcends these genres to create something unique. At times his music has a cinematic texture, with his ability to casually throw you into a Spaghetti Western. Above all, Sartain is a remarkable songwriter, so even if these stylistic choices aren't usually your cup of tea, he draws you in and captivates you nonetheless.
As a lyricist, Sartain shines. He follows in the tradition of great alternative, modern songwriters such as Shane MacGowan and Nick Cave. On the tragically beautiful The World Is Gonna Break Your Little Heart, his talent is on a par with Dylan. This song is the antidote to the turmoil of existence.
This is the best modern record I've heard in a long time. It only missed the five star mark for me because of the rather cheesy Besa Me Mucho, and his tendency to occasionally sound a little bit too much The White Stripes. But hey, even Sergeant Pepper has a couple of duff tracks....
Buy this album. And when I say buy, I mean BUY. Illegally downloading music by obscenely rich or dead musicians is one thing, but when it comes to emerging artists, it's important to buy their music, rather than trying to acquire it on the sly. So buy this album and put some gas in Sartain's tank; that will mean he can get his band-wagon on the road and blow the roof off a concert hall near you sometime soon....