Sings Like Hell

PETER CASE: “Sings Like Hell” (Glitterhouse Records)

WHATEVER ELSE you might say about him, this former frontman with US new wave outfit, The Plimsouls, always had an eye for a good album title —who can forget his acclaimed 1989 offering on Geffen, The Man With The Postmodern Fragmented Neo-traditionalist Guitar and the less successful follow-up, Six Pack Of Love.

On Sings Like Hell, issued on an independant label, Peter Case journeys ever further away from the commercial spotlight as he strives to achieve a Woodie Guthrie-style folk authenticity. He attempts this by trawling through a selection of mainly obscure American roots songs and styles, encompassing country blues, gospel and New Orleans boogie-woogie, as well as early rock ‘n’ roll and sixties folk-revival.

It’s an ambitious, though not entirely convincing exercise. While Case is undoubtedly sincere in his motivations, his seemingly stubborn adherence to traditional forms is ultimately limiting. There seems little point in recording old songs without bringing something new to them. Other artists like Ry Cooder and more recently, Daniel Lanois have successfully gelled roots influences with modern recording techniques while Sings Like Hell ignores the last thirty years of rock.

That said, his deft, front-porch acoustic guitar playing and ragged, lived-in voice exudes a certain timelessness and taken in small doses, the album has its moments. Of the thirteen tracks contained here, the better known ones include ‘Lakes Of Ponchartrain’ as done definitively by Paul Brady and more recently by Bob Dylan; Arthur Cruddup’s ‘So Glad You’re Mine’, recorded by Elvis, and Roy Orbison’s early rockabilly tune ‘Down The Line’.

The more country tracks include, ‘Waltz of Angels’, Jesse Winchester’s ‘How About You’ and a nifty western swing tune, Hank Mills’ ‘Walking Bum’. The sole Case original, ‘North Coast Blues’, with its talking blues vocalising, raw guitar strumming and cheesy harmonica is as close to early Dylan as you’ll ever get.

For fans and purists only, though I suspect they’d prefer to stick to the real thing.

• Colm O’Hare