Bob Frank and John Murry, two Southern ex-pats (the former hailing from Memphis, Tennessee, and Murry being from Tupelo, Mississippi) living in the San Francisco Bay Area and separated by nearly a forty year age difference, have created a more-than-worthy follow-up to their critically acclaimed 2006 release, "World Without End". That release was a gruesome collection of true murder ballads, co-written by Frank and Murry and hailed by critics worldwide as a both timeless and timely meditation on death, destruction, and American violence. Perhaps, then, it follows naturally (or at least “naturally” according to Frank and Murry) that their newest record, "Brinkley, Ark. and Other Assorted Love Songs", though very much a departure aesthetically, focuses just as heavily on loss; this time, not the loss of life but of lost love and of longing.
The stories are more personal and death's antithesis, love, is the focal point. Dubbed "redneck soul" by Frank, Murry, and their long-time producer Tim Mooney, the album is filled with Memphis horns, Muscle Shoals rhythms, Mississippi gospel organ, and fiery Southern Rock-influenced guitar work that encapsulates the strong and emotionally honest songwriting of Frank and Murry.
Bob Frank’s story is now legend: a young man working as a songwriter for Tree Publishing in Nashville and signed to Vanguard Records releases one brilliant album in 1972, cusses label President Maynard Solomon at his record release show in New York City, and is promptly dropped from Vanguard’s roster. He reveled in his own obscurity for nearly 35 years, all the while writing songs with little interest in the public’s opinion. In 2005, John Murry, an eccentric 26 year old songwriter and descendant of William Faulkner who had recently moved to California from the South, tracks down Bob Frank on the recommendation of a mutual friend. They quickly became friends and, seemingly just as quickly, began writing together. The rest is history, as they say, with this their second full length work completed together.
The songs themselves span nearly forty years, with some having been written by Frank immediately after his tour of duty in Vietnam. Creating the record was an idea that occurred to Murry when he was staying at Bob’s house and found a box of old reel to reel demo tapes. He played through them and, without Bob’s knowledge, began to compile songs he felt fit what he has since begun calling a “redneck soul” record. He was staying at Bob’s house at the time because he had separated from his wife and, in the midst of the heartache, found refuge in Bob’s forgotten songs. These songs inspired John to write his own, and the resulting record is a seamless mixture of Frank and Murry’s songs, chronicling the heartbreak of love lost.
“Brinkley, Ark. and Other Assorted Love Songs” was produced by John Murry and Tim Mooney and mastered by Matt Pence (Centromatic, South San Gabriel). Once again employing odd technique, Bob Frank was not allowed to touch an acoustic instrument and plays electric guitar throughout. John Murry dredged up the Danko-esque vocal of “Hey, Elly” after overdosing on narcotics and spending a night at SF General Hospital. Once again, the tales are seemingly endless...The Lansky Brothers include Nate Cavalieri (The Sights, The Dirtbombs), Brady Potts (The Super Eights), Tim Mooney (American Music Club, The Sleepers, The Toiling Midgets), Sean Coleman (The Sunshine Club, Kelley Stoltz), and Quinn Miller (Aim Low Kid).
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