A Killer's Dream

Rachel Brooke’s status as a queen of gothic country gets further confirmation on A Killer’s Dream, a decidedly dark excursion into love, treachery, torment, and regret. Fans of the Michigan-born singer/songwriter’s deft touch with moody scenarios and rootsy melodies won't be disappointed in her latest release—if anything, the passions here are deepened and the shadows are lengthened. Brooke is a honky tonk chanteuse in the classic mode, combining gutsiness with a touch of Patsy Cline’s uptown elegance. Recorded with the backup group Viva Le Vox, A Killer’s Dream encompasses torch songs (“Late Night Lover”), bluesy laments (“Life Sentence Blues,” “Only for You”), and rockabilly workouts (the title tune) as it runs through a rogue’s gallery of faithless menfolk and desperate women. “Old Faded Memory” (a shiver-inducing duet with Lonesome Wyatt) and “The Black Bird” (a bloodstained tale of split personality set to a sultry tune) especially go to the heart of Brooke’s eerie appeal. Brass, slide guitar, fiddle, and vibraphone add to the album’s ominous atmospherics.