Many Tindersticks aficionados were somewhat puzzled by the bands recent immersion in soul and R&B style crooning. Now, I happen to think that "Can our Love" (their preceding release) is an excellent album, catchy and passionate and full of great little details. But I also wondered if the band had given up creating the grander and more solemn moods that lived in their second album.
Trouble Every Day drips with the kind of somber and profound mood that the band seemed to have discarded in their recent releases. For those who aren't familiar with the Tindersticks, imagine a synthesis of Angelo Badalamenti with John Cage, and early Leonard Cohen - performed inside a chapel. No comparisons are fair, since the sound is truly greater than the some of it's possible influences.
"Trouble Every Day" is more of a composed work than something that might have spontaneously come from a rock band. Many of the basslines are played (beautifully) by a double bass, and a full orchestra is used to great effect. Eastern sounding hand-percussion, acoustic guitar, and brass section all contribute to a mood that somehow feels both rich and austere.
Of course all the usual members of Tindersticks contribute with the creativity and musicality that they have brought to all their recordings.
There is only one actual song here, though it appears in three versions. And the tracks are mostly variations on a few musical themes. So it doesn't really work as a pop album, but instead as several slices or movements within a larger body of work. It plays much better when listened to in one sitting, rather than as a track or two before moving on.
I think this an excellent CD. For Tindersticks fans, I think it is a must buy. It is much more complex and interesting than their "Nanette and Boni" soundtrack. For those unfamiliar with Tindersticks, this album would be a good choice for someone who is looking for a mostly instrumental album with a somber, and slightly minimalist musical feel.
Note: This is also one of the best-recorded CD's I own. This may make you want to upgrade your stereo.