Under the Sun

Gordon Gano is blessed with one of the most distinctive voices in rock ‘n’ roll, but this 2009 collaboration with the Ryan brothers (from the band The Bogmen) is only Gano’s second solo release. With the addition of Frank Ferrer on drums and Lonnie Hillyer on bass, they have a complete ensemble that never overdresses the situation. Gano’s voice is occasionally obscured by the harmonies or the full-band arrangements (“Man In the Sand”), but the melodies keep things moving strongly. “Hired Gun” and “Home” traverse the alt-country terrain, Gano’s voice jumping to its desperate higher octave for emphasis. Yiddish-gospel propels the jolting “Oholah Oholibah.” The title track is a dramatic piano ballad brought back to earth by Gano’s earthy vocal tones. “Better Than You Know” uses a shuffle and sparse instrumentalism to point up Gano’s idiosyncratic attack. “Way That I Creep” rekindles a ‘50s riff and ”Still Suddenly Here” finds a reggae groove. Gano may never impress with the same singular surprise attack of that first Violet Femmes album, but he’s still got plenty of guts to spill out onto the dance floor.