The Sideshow Tragedy’s new record After the Fall follows the internationally acclaimed The View From Nowhere (2018), which Laurie Gallardo/KUTX described as: “a gritty, unhinged jolt of blues-rock emerging from the searing wreckage of an apocalyptic frenzy” and Capital (2015) which PopMatters proclaimed was “a strong display of thinkers’ rock and roll.”
Feral ferocity intact, along with some new colors in a funky/pop/rock groove palette that reflects a new mood rising, Singleton says: “This record was born of an emotional hellscape/rollercoaster and my memory of it is foggy in places. We recorded it on and off for a year and a half. During this time, my marriage of 16 years fell apart, ending up in divorce. I lost my mooring; it was an extremely heavy time.”
The masterful Marc Ribot got the spirit, cutting loose on lead guitar on “Hold On It”, while Ben Senerfit’s bari sax bucks up the bass, even as Singleton sneers: “How long can I keep it up?”
In the end, the Sideshow Tragedy’s core sound is always the emotional anchor, the lighthouse and the cure. Singleton and Harrell are the resonator and the beat keeper, breaking through any kind of past or present turmoil or fog.