Vic Chesnutt - North Star Deserter

Vic Chesnutt. North Star Deserter. 2007. 4 stars.

I had just recently discovered Vic Chesnutt, the celebrated folk/rock songwriter from Athens Georgia, after learning that A Silver Mt. Zion, one of my favorite post rock bands, lent their orchestral stylings to this harrowing album. Recorded at the now legendary Hotel2Tango in Montreal, Chesnutt’s collaboration, which also includes members of Fugazi and Godspeed You Black Emperor, fits beautifully among Constellation Record’s rustic yet avant garde catalog.

Combining Chesnutt’s quavering vocals and literal, poetic lyrics with bombastic guitar blasts and sorrowful string arrangements is a perfect matching of folk with progressive rock. The drama is often overwhelming, with swirling crescendos and heartfelt chanting building around Chesnutt’s resigned tales of travel, heartbreak, decay and self discovery. Not all the tracks are explosive, as the impressive roster of backing musicians opt for subtle accompaniment to the more delicate numbers like “Fodder on Her Wings” where Chesnutt’s ode to wayward birds is complemented by soothing cello passages.

Perhaps the most engaging aspect of this record is the sense of nostalgia and place that Chesnutt captures with his reminescent lyrics, with songs like “Splendid” providing ringing odes to forgotten countrysides and hidden beaches where young love once blossomed. In moments such as these, the power of Chesnutt’s blend of tremulous rock trully shines through.

Overall, North Star Deserter is a dramatic and introspective work that works as an effective introduction to both Chesnutt and his band of guest stars. While the album’s slower patches may take some time to fully explore, the more electric and heavier songs are immediately striking, hooking you into the impressive and cohesive vision of this collective. Recommended to fans of Bonnie Prince Billy and anything on Constellation’s roster.

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