Nigel Wearne “The Reckoning” 2023. Signed, limited edition red and black marble recycled vinyl, not on label/self-released. Dark jazzy and bluesy Americana from Australia. We picked up this copy from Nigel Wearne, along with his backing band The Spectres, this past August up at Mile of Music in Appleton when we caught his Tom Waits meets Gogol Bordello (though Wearne is much much more mellow) set at the outdoor stage at Emmett’s. We hadn’t heard of him but his MoM bio caught our eye:

Nigel Wearne & The Spectres saunter after dark in the music of the night, blending blues, jazz and Americana-noir. Swathed with rambunctious horns, Gretsch guitar, drums and double-bass, they’ve got a retro vibe that smacks it straight back to the 60’s. Hailing from Gunditjmara country in the deep south of Australia, Nigel Wearne is a guitarist and multi-instrumentalist with diverse influences such as Nick Cave, Tom Waits and Rickie Lee Jones.

The Reckoning looks to be his third full-length release; the first, Black Crow, was released back in 2012 so he’s been around for awhile but I don’t think with the support of a label/distributor. It’s mood music with some flare: think a decadent and dark speakeasy, lit with dim chandeliers and candles, but there’s peeling wallpaper and stains on the velvet upholstered booths. “Back Behind the Blue” with its brush drums and horns perfectly encapsulates the vibe. The title track, “The Reckoning,” has a cha-cha-cha rhythm and would feel tropical but for the sinister suggestion. “Old Belly’s New Ride” is snakey surf instrumental with bendy guitar. Some of the tracks are too mellow and atmospheric for my tastes but Wearne’s voice is great and this album has a strong point of view with oodles of instrumental talent.