Rating: NNNN
According to legend, several years ago in snowy Colorado, a loose collective of musicians and singers headed by one Jeffrey-Paul and operating under the banner of the Denver Gentlemen set about creating snappy, somewhat tongue-in-cheek Acadian-laced alt-country/Euro-folk with dashes of gospel and oom-pah-pah spiritually linked to Swordfishtrombones. It’s said that a record called Introducing was cut but shelved as Jeffrey-Paul heeded the call to join 16 Horsepower. Years later, Toronto start-up Absalom grabbed the Swiffer, removed the surface film and prepared to put Introducing The Denver Gentlemen in shops for the first time ever, starting January 30.
Great story, but still not nearly as engaging as the record itself, which prompts images of saloons, salons, velvet-lined funeral parlours and back alleys from New Orleans to Warsaw with little more than a belching squeeze box, mournful piano, the spooked shudder of a stand-up bass and gothic tales. Tour dates are threatened — goody.
