CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX / Night Raider (2009)

Crippled Black Phoenix are an ambient rock band consisting of a great pedigree of musicians from other bands (among them Iron Monkey, Gonga, Mogwai, Electric Wizard).  They play what they call "endtime ballads" which includes but is not limited to eerie folk, ambient unease, Southern gothic and a heck of a lot more I can't give words to. You'll hear some Pink Floyd in there, some Tom Waits and a host of others harder to pin down. It's self-indulgent at times but at others it's truly inspiring. If you're open to something new and challenging, give them a try.

Songs of Note: Time of Ye Life / Born For Nothing / Paranoid Arm of Narcoleptic Empire; Bat Stack

4 unusual and hard to define projects out of 5