Holly Golightly And The Brokeoffs - You Can't Buy A Gun When You're Crying Album Review

Holly Golightly And The Brokeoffs
You Can't Buy A Gun When You're Crying
Album Review

This Holly Golightly is the English singer-songwriter, not the Audrey Hepburn character in Breakfast at Tiffany's, and is something of a cult song machine. This is her thirteenth studio album, and over that career (not including time in other bands, or her appearances with The White Stripes), she has pursued a garage rock sound, with distinct rhythm and blues/ rockabilly/ country feel.

Here, with the Brokeoffs (well, 'with' is a stretch - the Brokeoffs are Holly and Lawyer Dave), she goes all stripped down Delta and country blues and more than a tint of bluegrass. She pulls it off so much better than Jenny Lewis that the comparison isn't even fair. Stripped down, the dark humour is given free rein, and it works deliciously. If you bought the soundtrack to O Brother Where Art Thou, this disc will not only be a definite hit, but it will bring you instant cred. Wonderfully unadorned, songs like You Can't Buy A Gun and Jesus Don't Love Me are as cool and imperfect as worn jeans.

4/5

Mike Rea