Album Review – Slim Cessna’s Auto Club’s “The Commandments According to…”
When the music that came to be known as country first began to emanate out of the European immigrants who settled in the Appalachian regions of North America in the early 20th Century, the continent was a still a trying and unrelenting place. Death and disease were everywhere. The average life expectancy hovered around 40. Malnutrition was rampant, giving way to deformity and other chronic health problems for young and old alike. No matter where you looked, death hung in the air like an ever-present curse waiting to usher you away at any moment from lack of food, natural calamity, or disease knocking at your door.
It was in this constant state of fear, depravity, and the brief moments humble thankfulness for the few joys life bestowed that country music found its voice on the back porches of the people who knew no other form of reverie than singing their distresses aloud for themselves and their neighbors. During this era, religion was not always used as a harbor of hope, but a harbinger for the evil things that would befall the individuals who trode a wayward path. Fire and brimstone was employed to keep parishioners in line, and through all of this, fear was the most palpable and present emotion most people were familiar with.
For almost 25 years now, Denver, Colorado’s Slim Cessna’s Auto Club has tapped into that primitive, carnal narrative of country music’s earliest incarnation to re-imagine the foreboding mood that hung like a pall over American’s early primitive settlers. Not for everyone, and more artistic expression than sheer entertainment, Slim Cessna’s is one of the most unusual, yet enthralling experiences to grace the musical stage. Though it is something that may be best experienced live, this is in no way a count against their recorded efforts, it’s more a testament of how they continue to be one of the most impressive outfits in concert.
For years Slim Cessna’s Auto Club was a signee to Jello Biafra’s Alternative Tentacles punk label as an oddball roster member, but one that found attention from fans as far ranging as punk and rock, to underground country and Americana. This isn’t Gothic country in the sense that who encounter a lot of guttural groans or punk-gone-country banjo banging. It’s the stories that set Slim Cessna in the primitive, Gothic country era. The music itself is more modernized and genre neutral. And even though it tends to work in much darker, minor chords, there’s a keen sense of melody and rhythm to Slim Cessna’s songs that make them a lot more appealing than perhaps they would seem on first listen.
The most distinguishing characteristic of Slim Cessna’s Auto Club is their dual frontman lineup. Slim Cessna is more like the loving local preacher who tries to uplift his congregation with stirring words and gestures, while Munly Munly is the dark, serious, foreboding side. Lord Dwight Pentacost is the primary driver of the musical components of the band, and they recently added Rebecca Vera to the lineup, which brings a female voice to the mix for an new wrinkle to the Slim Cessna sound.
Their newest album released in September called The Commandments According to Slim Cessna’s Auto Club is both peculiar and absorbing. Though maybe not the best starting point for the band, it certainly upholds the standards the band has set with their vaunted catalog up to this point. The song titles are simply “Commandment 1,” Commandment 2,” and so on and so forth, making it not particularly easy to get too immersed in talking about the songs themselves in a way that’s easy to keep up with in print. Slim Cessna has never been too hip on titles. Their last record was simply titled Unentitled.
Whether the themes of the songs are actually tied to the Ten Commandments is either hard to tell, or up for interpretation. Part of the Slim Cessna experience is you’re not ever really sure exactly what is going on at any point. The mystery and confusion in their music is essential for the immersive capacity it has on listeners, so it may not be worth questioning too keenly. But this listener could not glean any specific direction with the song titles beyond a way to annotate the tracks.
You have to know what you’re getting into with Slim Cessna’s Auto Club, and for new listeners, I would suggest starting with “Commandment 6,” or basically listen to the second half first for more accessible material. But once again they have turned in an effort that touches parts of the musical palette you never knew existed, challenges the listener with adroit lyricism and structure, and offers a musical experience so unusual that it’s hauntingly riveting and hypnotic.
1 1/2 Guns Up (7.5/10)
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Purchase The Commandments According To… from Slim Cessna’s Auto Club
TheRealBobCephus
December 3, 2016 @ 11:08 am
Where is a good place to start with SCAC album wise?
Trigger
December 3, 2016 @ 11:18 am
I don’t want to dog this album by saying it’s not a good place to start. I like the whole album, but the first half may not be accessible to some folks to start off. I think probably their most accessible album is their last one “Unentitled,” but it’s still pretty strange stuff that not everyone’s going to “get.” I also don’t think it’s a bad idea to start out on the 6th track of this record, and see if it’s something you may like. Once you get into them (if you do), then you’ll find yourself craving their more unusual material.
I say all this just because if some straight-laced hard country listeners pulls up this record, it just may not be for them. And that’s okay. But I think this is great music for those listeners who really like to get into the artistic and dark side of country.
Dwizz
December 3, 2016 @ 6:27 pm
Start with the album Always Say Please and Thank You, or maybe Burried Behind The Barn.
JC
December 5, 2016 @ 6:44 am
For their more current sound, I love Unentitled and Cipher. They’re best listened to in order as a whole. SCAC is one of a kind. Like Trig says, you’ve gotta see ’em live. It will be worth the effort.
Frazer
December 6, 2016 @ 7:45 am
They have an album called SCAC 102 that is sort of like a “best of” where they re-recorded some earlier songs and included several tracks from more recent albums. This is the best place to start. Surprisingly, some of the re-recorded tracks are actually better on this collection than in their original form (something that rarely happens in my opinion).
Travis
December 3, 2016 @ 4:13 pm
My wife and I are in the middle of a move to Denver and I was waiting to listen to Wovenhands new album and will add this to the list. I’m excited to get to a town that has some good music again. There’s nothing worthwhile that I found in Jacksonville area in 5 yrs with the exception of Grandpa’s Cough Medicine. I was trying to think of some SCAC recommendations for Bob above and think their self titled album is a good place to start. Also check out the old band 16 horsepower which is a different band but same region.
Dustin Crandell
December 3, 2016 @ 6:25 pm
Their older albums like Always Say Please And Thank You or The Bloudy Tenant Truth Peace would actually be a better place to start if you’ve never heard them before jumping into this new record. While the older stuff is certainly not straight forward country sounding it is a little more accessible to that style, I love all they’re stuff but if you’ve never heard them I would recommend checking those out first.
michiel
December 4, 2016 @ 4:40 am
A couple of years ago they released an excellent compilation, SCAC102, An introduction for young and old Europe, on Glitterhouse, album plus live DVD. Don’t know if that’s available in the USA, but it’s worth checking out, the DVD gives a pretty good impression of SCAC on stage, which is a unique experience. I have never seen anything like it. Even for a non-religious person like me, Slim and Munly take you for a fascinating ride, and just looking at Lord Dwight Pentacosts amazing Jesus/Mary doubleneck guitar makes you feel that it’s more than just music.
Bigfoot is Real (lonesome, on'ry and mean)
December 4, 2016 @ 9:59 am
Wow!!! You deserve some thanks for being this all inclusive. Great review.
Biscuit
December 4, 2016 @ 11:40 pm
This sounds a little like 60s psychedelic folk/rock from what I heard on You Tube. I appreciate the introduction, thanks for the review.
Diesel Tech
December 5, 2016 @ 7:22 am
Trig, are you planning on doing any best of lists again. I know you’ve said in the past that you’ve grown to not like them, but I always found that they are a great way to introduce people to some music thru might not be familiar with. I was always waiting for best of gothic country or the Denver sound. I know you put together a list on dark roots a few years ago but a list on top albums or artists from the genre would be really cool. It’s a genre that doesn’t get talked about much.
Diesel Tech
December 5, 2016 @ 7:25 am
That being said great review.
Trigger
December 5, 2016 @ 10:21 am
Hey Diesel Tech,
I might do something like that in the future. The problem is so many people use lists as springboards to complain about what you forgot, it takes away from the spirit of it.
On Halloween I put together a playlist of dark country artists, and I thought it was very well received. I’ll probably make that a Halloween tradition and shake up the songs and artists each year.
https://www.savingcountrymusic.com/saving-country-musics-2016-halloween-playlist/
Diesel Tech
December 5, 2016 @ 10:47 am
I loved the Halloween playlist! I’m still playing it at work!!
I know what your saying though, there are always those comments like how can this be a complete list without this band or that album!!
I however really appreciate the lists and use them the way they are intended to either introduce myself to new music or to introduce new music to others! I don’t think I’m alone on this either, at least I hope not!
Nonetheless thanks for all the great music you’ve introduced to us!
Michael P
December 5, 2016 @ 4:29 pm
Caught ’em last night here in DC; I’ve been wanting to see them for about 20 years. They’re amazing. The records are good (ok, great), but SCAC live is an entirely different and superior beast. Wow. Stupefying. Awe-inspiring.
Wylie
December 5, 2016 @ 7:32 pm
Nice review – I don’t like this one as much as Unentitled or Cipher but those are pretty high watermarks. Hopefully one day Munly and the Lupercalians put out another one.