Chicago’s Daniel Knox mixes cinematic flourish with the audacity of cabaret in the title track to his full-length LP Chasescene. The swelling strings of “Chasescene” is all Hollywood pathos. The lyrics, sung almost like a nursery rhyme over the marching keys, relishes a murderous tale with tongue so far in the cheek it’s broken through. He’s a Billy Joel for the Weimar Republic.

The singer-songwriter plays up the villain character to good effect. The nefarious protagonist of “Chasescene” “loves you with a knife.” The song fairly reeks of maudlin misogyny, reminiscent of the darkest moments of Barry Adamson’s Oedipus Schmoedipus. 

Interesting to note: Jarvis Cocker contributed to both albums, guesting on Knox’s “Capitol” and Adamson’s “Set the Controls for the Heart of the Pelvis.” Which level of heaven or hell will that factoid pop up in bar trivia?

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