The Court and Spark are a band that usually find themselves lumped in with folks such as Will Oldham and Gramh Parsons. Not bad company, but also not complete justice for a group that during its short three year existence has found a whole unique voice of its own. The band's songwriting can definitely show their influences (the Byrd's, Steely Dan, The Beach Boys, etc.), but their strength lies in the way they blend, undermine, and subvert them, ultimately discovering a strong voice of there own. Vocal/Guitars MC Taylor's lyrics have become more priceless and mature than ever. Taking part in the folk tradition, he has mastered the effect and pretension of storytelling that transplants us all to a time and place that we have never been. With lines like "Put on your stockings, put on your shoes, put on your makeup, put on your blues," we're totally convinced that our lover has just walked out on us. Executed in a beautiful tone that sounds like molasses in the summer time and with breathtaking melodies by Wendy Allen, the vocals are the backbone to this LP. The music itself is much more open and clear than on their first LP, 1999's Ventura Whites, allowing each musician their own time and space. The overall effect is a subtle one: horns that play on the horizon, guitar and lap steel melodies that sound classy and effortless, solid bass and back beat drums, strange percussion finding its way into the mix. Despite its varied instrumentation, Bless You never becomes cluttered. Instead, this LP rings out, becoming a series of love songs for a clear night, and it is wide open, like the sunset.
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