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(Clicka qua per la versione Italiana)
Congo Norvell were formed by Kid Congo Powers, former guitarist of the Cramps, the Gun Club, Nick Cave, and the Butcher Shop; and by Jim Sclavunos, former drummer for Lydia Lunch and many others, after meeting singer Sally Norvell in Los Angeles. Norvell, a former actress for Wim Wenders, had begun her musical career performing 1920s covers with the Prohibition in Austin, Texas, accompanied by drummer Scott Marcus, keyboardist Stella Weir of Glass Eye, and members of Scratch Acid.
Their Lullabies (Fiasco, 1993) are modern madrigals and blues of nervous depression, accompanied by the most delicate instrumental arrangements (thanks also to the keyboards of Kristian Hoffman, former leader of the Mumps, and Mary Mullens cello). Norvell sings like a cross between Margo Timmins of the Cowboy Junkies, Billie Holiday, and Marlene Dietrich.
Music To Remember Him By (Basura, 1994) perhaps dips into kitsch, but My Midnight and Drift Away deliver the intensity of domestic melodrama.
The Dope The Lies The Vaseline (Basura, 1996) relegates them to a rock version of Combustible Edison. Norvell awkwardly imitates the cabaret airs of the previous album, rarely achieving the same documentary-like effect (Goodbye Song, The Girl Who Would Be King).
None of their songs is particularly brilliant, but their albums create atmospheres that are difficult to reduce to singer-songwriter stereotypes.
On Abnormals Anonymous (Jetset, 1997) Congo Norvell is Powers,
Norvell, Sclavunos, Brian Emrich (bass and theremin), Paul Wallfisch
(keyboards) and Liz Corcoran (violin).
The upbeat Johnny In The Boudoir, propelled by cheesy keyboards of the
"new wave" era, and reminiscent of
Martha & The Muffins,
is not representative of the rest, which mainly features dejected odes to
fate, such as the whispered, noir ballad Dark Eyes
and the spoken psychodrama The Last Word (vocals by Powers).
Mark Eitzel
duets with Sally Norvell on five songs, thereby increasing the
intensity of the devilish Brother Jack, the gothic
Body And Soul,
the desperate The Blue Sky.
Choking Victim (Kunst, 2002) is mainly Norvell on vocals and
Paul Wallfisch on piano. Dispensing with any pretense of rock music, the duo
pens a cycle of lieder that harks back to Kurt Weill's expressionistic cabaret
(Blake In The Cake) and to Burt Bacharach's sophisticated pop
(One Gentle Thing), that is inspired by both
Tom Waits' destitute blues (Murder) and Jim Morrison's nightmarish
ceremonies (Choking Victim).
A reprise of Goodbye Song and a few covers complete the repertory.
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