Vic Chesnutt‘s craft is at such a high level, between lyrics and voice and accompaniment, that listening to his songs one can forget oneself and become entirely transported into the musical picture. “Chain” from his latest album, is a soft cinematic masterpiece, each instrument a character, conversing and dancing ethereally with the protagonist/singer, illuminating a scene far more nuanced and colorful that pop music is expected to be. Perhaps this is why Mr. Chesnutt’s reputation amongst pop stars is so well established – to list his famous admirers would be something of a cliché at this point – while his own fame among the general public is still relatively limited. The quality of this work is so self evident all I can suggest is, download it and have a listen. And if you’re wondering if the rest of the album, and indeed the rest of the output from this artist is as original and beautiful as this, this answer is yeah, it is.

Vic Chesnutt
“Chain” (mp3)
from “At the Cut”
(Constellation)

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Supertramp goes to Monty Python’s house! Radiohead visits Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood? Jellyfish takes some real acid! Mmm, trippy, fun song from a band simply called Clues. We study, we consider, we try to add it all up and solve the mystery.

Clues
“Perfect Fit” (mp3)
from “Clues”
(Constellation)

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