by Brett Abrahamsen
The haunting, doom-laden Ghost Ship finds erstwhile Codeine drummer Chris Brokaw in fine form. Opening track “Over My Body” sets the tone: Brokaw declaims a solemn lament that sounds like a cross between Codeine’s depressed litanies and Nick Cave’s menacing proclamations (though Brokaw’s voice sounds far more similar to Leonard Cohen than it does to Cave).
The title track feels like an appendix; initially it runs the risk of boring the listener, but becomes more haunting and intense as it goes along. The heavily distorted “Anything Anymore” is a bizarre change of pace, but “Palatine Light” returns to the style of “Over My Body” for another downcast lament. “Vampire of Rathmines” is suitably gothic; one is reminded of the icy soundscapes of the Pan Sonic album Kesto. On “Paloma,” Brokaw’s playing recalls Roy Montgomery, but the vocals are once again in Cave/Cohen territory (with echoes of Codeine). The light Feelies-style boogie of “8 or 9 Things” initially seems like a throwaway, but a haunting vocal melody is gradually introduced (as well as some jarring dissonance) and the listener, by the end, is impressed. “Profile” has perhaps the most poignant guitar work. “Away From Me” is a haunting and mournful closer with an eerie coda, a fitting way to close the proceedings.
This is a solid album - there’s not a bad song here, and the lyrics are perhaps more accomplished than the lyrics on the Codeine album Brokaw played on. Brokaw says he was inspired by Nico’s masterpiece Desertshore, and, though Desertshore is inevitably the superior of the two albums, the comparison is apt due to the shared fatalistic mood. If the album has a flaw, it is perhaps the lack of a standout track - there are no weak cuts, but perhaps no singular track is an all-time masterpiece. I also felt that the usually excellent Paul Q. Kolderie overdid the reverb on this album, but that is purely subjective.
Brokaw’s majestic cover photograph serves as a haunting companion to this disc of icy, somber meditations. It is heartily recommended to all fans of doom-laden, brooding atmosphere, who perhaps will enjoy listening to it at night, in the wilderness, or - best of all - at sea. The disc has no commercial potential, but it is a meaningful artistic statement.