Over the course of 28 tracks from his two previous albums Disaster (2007) and Every Man For Himself (2011), Chicago-based tenor and composer Daniel Knox bravely commented on nearly every taboo that exists. From blasphemy (Yet Another One For You) to rape (Naive Theresa) to death row (Red Handed) to alcoholism (Lovescene) and to pornography (Etc.) amongst other controversial subjects.

 

So it was hardly surprising to listen to the lyrics and view the claustrophobic and suspenseful music video that accompanied the first taste off his third self-titled album. On Blue Car, Knox suggests a hypothetical situation in which takes the perspective of a stalker following a fearful pedestrian on their way home and as the predator's sadistic dominance and evil lust heightens, so does the power in Knox's pitch. "You can't win, the car will return. The beast will appear and nobody will believe you" he taunts like a horror villain over effective automobile sirens, airy synths and tense drums. 

 

After collaborating with David Lynch on a live performance promoting the surreal film Inland Empire, it's hard to not associate Knox's with the influential filmmaker, specifically voyeurism and obscure messaging. His disillusioned social commentary on the morbid aspects of life and how he contrasted the depressive lyrics with light-hearted music: lively jazz, ragtime and cabaret, piano folk, baroque pop, operatic pop, cinematic soundtrack and most astonishingly even a children's sing-along structure (I Make Enemies) were what made his previous albums spine-tingling and engaging as he reeled you into his hopeless stories and ruthless rhymes. Evidence of his intriguing voyeuristic view on life are still on show but only in patches. On the angry Don't Touch Me (which mirrors Get Out from his selfishness-themed album Everyman For Himself) he confronts prostitution and compares humans to pigs, which is typical brash from Knox.

 

However, more often than not the lyrics are so incomprehensible due to over-mumbling delivery and orchestral overshadowing that not only is it hard to decipher the album's theme like isolation and selfishness (Everyman For Himself) and the darker side of society (Disaster), it's also hard to hear any wise and effective statements that he may have. The consequent of this isn't entirely tragic though because it allows us to focus on two other aspects of his compositions that made him special: the effortless technical ability of his impassionate and strong crooning that has lead comparisons to his friend Rufus Wainwright, Nick Cave, Samuel T. Herring (Future Islands), Scott Walker and Chris Isaak and the diversity of the instrumentation. 

 

In the past, Knox has added buzzing Kazoos, tambourines and saxophones to his arsenal and although things are not as jazzy, wild and magically circus-like on this album, he still experiments with the güiro on Don't Touch Me, electronic effects and marching drums on Incident at White Hen and a car engine sound on David Charmichael. All this compliments with his favoured set of cellos (White Oaks Mail), piano (High Pointe Drive), harmonicas (By The Venture).

 

Although it's not as excitingly eccentric as his earlier work, it's worth appreciating any skilled talent that contributes to music on an epic scale and allow them to develop as an artist. As Knox boldly once said on Disaster: "the old days are gone."