Freedom
Amen Dunes is basically Damon McMahon and a rotating cast of musicians. Pitchfork describes his work as "psych-folk," and I can agree with that, given the droning guitars and McMahon's vibrato voice, which reminds me of Donovan.
But I didn't enjoy listening to the record. First of all, there are no melodies to speak of. I just finished listening to it and I couldn't hum you a melody from it if I had a gun to my head. I'm a cretin, I guess, who demands hooks.
I also found the lyrics incomprehensible. It appears to be an album about his life, as there are mentions of many names that are presumably people he knows. It's also about his spirituality, as there are references to Jesus, Mary, and Judea (the reference to "Paul" is probably not to the apostle, as he follows that with "Eric," who I believe does not appear in the Bible).
What am I to make of this, from "L.A.," which I think is the best song in the collection:
"Quick talk is like no talk, he can just space off, look in his eyes
Crocodile, detour, new tears they start in my eyes
Six star-loaded rose-froze
Black Star, you got off fine
It's ten o'clock you ought to stop the detour, you know baby it's time
Big talking, spaced off, you got your big man, he's fine
Because she told me, cross on back, the river's fine
Drop five dollar, you get the skinny girl, I get the real fire"
That's more inscrutable than "I Am the Walrus."
In "Believe," McMahon sings,
"I believe, can’t deny it
Seen heaven, don’t get down
When I was a kid I was afraid to die
But I growed up now"
This would appear to be either a statement of his belief in an afterlife, or an apology for it. This certainly isn't Christian rock by any means, as I think it's about a man exploring the pain and happiness in his life, and attaching it precariously to a power greater than him. But I'd have to ask him.
So I can't give this a record thumbs up, but I will McMahon this--it's unlike anything I've ever heard before.
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