Ghetto Bells

Starting in the early 1990s, Vic Chesnutt quietly established himself as one of the best indie singer/songwriters. As his discography grew, so did his overall musical vision, and his albums continually sported more ambitious arrangements, more accomplished personnel, and more sophisticated production. GHETTO BELLS continues the trend, as Chesnutt surrounds himself here with some stellar musicians, including eclectic guitarist extraordinaire Bill Frisell and cult figure Van Dyke Parks (on keyboards and string arrangements).
The rhythm section provides solid support, and Liz Durrnett lends beautifully ghostly backing vocals to Chesnutt's craggy, vulnerable singing. The focus of GHETTO BELLS, however, is still Chesnutt's poetic songwriting. Though his lyrics have grown increasingly spare and exacting, he still has a knack for narrative detail and deft turns of phrase. Whether through the free play of images ("Vesuvius"), heartbreaking stories ("Ignorant People"), or domestic snapshots that become meditations on time ("Forthright"), Chesnutt displays undeniable strengths as a songsmith. With Frisell's expansive, atmospheric guitar sound and Parks's keys giving dimension to this uniformly strong batch of tunes, GHETTO BELLS is an excellent addition to the artist's impressive discography.