Willis Earl Beal's album Nobody Knows is a little challenging to listen to.
Willis Earl Beal's album Nobody Knows is a little challenging to listen to.
When I first listened to Beal's debut album, Acousmatic Sorcery, I struggled. It seemed an unlistenable, lo-fi, experimental nonsense of a mess. But I persisted. And persisted. And it grew on me and kept growing.
Now it's more about the voice - and oh what a voice.
It's as ifBeal has shrugged off the wacky persona to concentrate on the music. It's still very much him, but he's given in to the polish of a recording studio.
Not that it's not recognisably him.
But the soul is that much smoother, less raw, but with equal if not greater emotion. And Beal's emotion comes in great dollops.
The opening track, Wavering Lines, showcases Beal's vocals with minimal orchestral backing, while things really kick off with the 60s Motown-flavoured Coming Through, featuring Cat Power. (Here he returns to a bit of spoken-word storytelling as well.)
It's still a challenge to listen to Beal, but this time the rewards come that much quicker.
