Gargoyle: CD

, Mark Lanegan's 'Gargoyle' may be his most uplifting record yet, it's still Lanegan though so you can still expect his trademark brooding tone set amongst a surprisingly big rock sound.

The 10-track LP features guest appearances from long-time collaborators Josh Homme, Greg Dulli and Duke Garwood.

While sharing roots with its two predecessors, on Gargoyle there’s a significant up-shift in the swaggering powerlode of such keynote songs as Nocturne and Beehive, while the lyrics’ tonal palette is more varied. The album title comes from a lyric in Blue Blue Sea – “Gargoyle perched on gothic spire” – and was chosen for its hint of self-deprecation. “I’m most proud of the songs that are atypical to stuff that I’ve done in the past” says Mark. “So I really like Old Swan, because it’s an expression of positivity, which is completely anti-anything I’ve done before!” He laughs. “Y’know, I haven’t played this record for too many people yet. I played it for Greg Dulli, who played on some of it, and he was like, ‘Wow, I had to listen to it twice – it sounds like he’s having a good time…’

It's been a long journey travelled, not always easy, but in 2017, at the age of 52, Lanegan's got the look of permanence about him. Like that gargoyle on the gothic spire…

Tracklist:

1. Death's Head Tattoo
2. Nocturne
3. Blue Blue Sea
4. Beehive
5. Sister
6. Emperpor
7. Goodbye To Beauty
8. Drunk On Destruction
9. First Day Of Winter
10. Old Swan