The Night’s Last Tomorrow is the third CD released by the frontman for Cemetery-and-Western band, Ninth House, and it is rich with both new material and mature, acoustic reinterpretations of songs, often featuring brave and innovative instrumentation to accompany Mark’s chocolaty vocals. Some have appeared on Sinnis’ two prior solo albums and Ninth House recordings. Mark hasn’t dropped his unwavering focus on death and how awareness of it causes us to see life’s experiences in a certain light.
The opening track, “The Night’s Last Tomorrow,” epitomizes this concept, and reaches heights of languid sadness thanks to the moody lap-steel guitar of bluesman, Lenny Molotov.
“15 Miles to Hell’s Gate” has a more frustrated, angry tone, whereas “Your Past May Come Back” is surprisingly upbeat and showcases Mark’s amazing, mellifluous vocals.
The “western” in “Cemetery-and-Western” is evident in “Fallible Friend.” My own particular favorite, “Follow the Line” is a dark, Ninth House treatise about suicidal drunkenness that is incredibly melodious, even in this relatively light, accordion-accompanied version.
Other tracks include new originals as well as acoustic tributes to the Sisters of Mercy, stripped down versions of songs by Sinnis’ old band, The Apostates, pieces with names like “Skeletons” and “Scars,” plus a New Orleans-flavored Louie Armstrong cover as well as Billy Holiday’s “Gloomy Sunday.” The album ends appropriately with a country gospel death-march.
Sinnis’ style is a blending of folk-rock and traditional country, western, gospel and blues that please and fascinate music lovers of every stripe.
In A Word: Brooding
