Don't Tell the Driver

Don't Tell the Driver

Something’s happening here, and it’s hard to say what it is. The rhythms play in slightly stuttered time while the players adjust individually. Dirty Three guitarist Mick Turner has played on many other musicians’ records, so when it’s time to make his own, he’s not likely to revisit the places others have already traveled. The legitimate battle between the various musicians doesn’t let up for “Sometimes,” and while Caroline Kennedy-McCracken does her best to still the rocky rhythms, eventually only dogs can bark and howl to drive the point home. The title track throws backward guitar tapes and a variety of rhythms to suggest an agitation that’s slightly muted when the drums drop out in spots. Four years in the writing and recording process, Don’t Tell the Driver centers on musicians drawing notes from their instruments, often emulating Turner’s own unusual way of fingerpicking around the area he’s aiming for. Kennedy-McCracken and Oliver Mann handle the vocals; Ian Wadley, Jeff Wegener, and Kishore Ryan alternate on the drum seat; and Peggy Frew attempts to instill order on bass guitar.

You Might Also Like

Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

Asia Pacific

Europe

Latin America and the Caribbean

The United States and Canada