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Album Details

• Artist: Vic Chesnutt
• Album: Ghetto Bells
• Label: New West
• Year of Release: 2005
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: dscanland on 2005-05-04

Vic Chesnutt really spoiled us again with his third masterpiece, Silver Lake, proving that Vic's music ebbs and flows in creativity. Not that Mr. Chesnutt has released a bad album, some are just better than others. Ghetto Bells is the latest chapter in his career and it seems even more introspective than the last. I think the problem with Ghetto Bells is that it plods along without hardly ever letting us come up for air. The arrangements are clever but song after song they start to wear you down slightly. The album starts out with the cinematic "Virginia" which is arguably the strongest album in the set. "Little Caeser" takes the first turn down the really dark avenue. Another fine moment is "What Do You Mean", in true Chesnutt fashion ("Like a puppy on a trampoline/what do you mean"). Bill Frisell is all over the album, as is Van Dyke Parks showing you that the dourness is not a result of the musicianship. In fact, the more I listened to Ghetto Bells, the more intrigued I found myself with the instrumentation. I just found that album very wearing. If you make it through the 50 minute previous, Vic makes sure you are asleep with the hypnotic "Gnats" at the end of the album. I know there are going to be people raving about this album but coming from this longtime fan, Ghetto Bells is not one of Vic Chesnutt's finest moments.

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