Dax Riggs - Say Goodnight to the World CD Review (Fat Possum)

DOWNLOAD: Dax Riggs - "No One Will Be A Stranger"
DOWNLOAD: Dax Riggs - "Let Me Be Your Cigarette"

I found it hard not to think about Jeffrey Lee Pierce while listening to Say Goodnight to the World. Both Jeff and Dax have a blues/swamp-rock base in their music and both seem to have a number of personal demons. One difference that I can hear is that Jeffrey always seemed to be trying to exorcise his demons while Dax seems to be quite comfortable on the dark side.

The first thing that I noticed about this disc was Dax's powerful and emotive voice. His controlled delivery ranges from a Jeff Buckley/Ian McCulloch-style emotive plea to a John Cale-style deadpan snarl. The John Cale comparison is reinforeced with a haunting cover of "Heartbreak Hotel" that is about on par with Cale's version (on 1975's Slow Dazzle).

Musically, Say Goodnight to the World jumps between sludgey blues rock, neo-folk, straight-up psychedelic rockers and there are also a few reverb-drenched murder ballads. Staying on par with the dark music, song titles (and lyrical themes) include "I Hear Satan", "Gravedirt on My Blue Suede Shoes" and "Sleeping with the Witch". While Dax's music isn't intended for the light of day, it is perfect for late night listening.

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Dax Riggs

Dax Riggs: Tour Photos & Setlist from Mercury Lounge, NYC 8-15-10

Every now and then, I run across an artist that everyone seems to know but I really have no clue about the artist’s past (bands, recording history, etc). Dax Riggs’ show at Mercury Lounge last week was a “gathering of the faithful” but I felt like I was probably the only one in the room who didn’t know (and couldn’t sing along to) Dax’s back catalogue.

To give an overview of the show, the room was full by the time Dax hit the stage. I don’t think the show was sold out but this was definitely not the night to arrive late. Dax played about an hour set (with no encore) – his music and lyrics served as his voice for the evening and he had a minimal amount of direct conversation with the audience. To repurpose a quote from recent interview that Dax gave to The Aquarian, last week’s show was a “kind of a shamanistic stepping out where there are no floor boards, kind of thing; the idea of dreams being real and the magic and the power of the human mind to dream and make dreams reality.” I haven’t seen anyone play with this much (emotional) intensity since seeing Jeff Buckley play Arlene’s Grocery years ago.



One funny moment during the show was when an audience member bought Dax a beer in an attempt to get a song added to the set list. This interaction seemed to puzzle Dax. He spent a few minutes trying to figure out what the guy wanted; all the while the crowd was heckling this audience member and a ‘wit’ in the back of the roof yelled out that the beer that given to Dax “has roofies in it”.

Seeing Dax Riggs in a live setting is an experience that shouldn’t be missed.



Upcoming Tour Dates:
Sep. 08, 2010 -- Casbah, San Diego, Ca
Sep. 09 2010 -- Spaceland, Los Angeles, CA
Sep. 10 2010 -- Spaceland, Los Angeles, CA
Sep. 11 2010 -- Cafe Du Nord, San Francisco, CA
Sep. 14 2010 -- Dante's, Portland, OR
Sep. 15 2010 -- Sunset Tavern, Seattle, WA
Sep. 18 2010 -- 7th St Entry, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Sep. 19 2010 -- The Frequency, Madison, WI
Sep. 21 2010 -- Vaudeville Mews, Des Moines, Iowa
Sep. 22 2010 -- Mojo's, Columbia, MO
Sep. 23 2010 -- Proud Larry's, Oxford, Mississippi
Sep. 24 2010 -- Hal & Mal's, Jackson, MS
Sep. 25 2010 -- Thirsty Hippo, Hattiesburg, MS

Links:
Dax Riggs