Cass McCombs is a genuine mystery cat. His website is just an absurd series of photos of an LA meathead poseur in nightclubs, he does practically no press, skips from town to town and is permanently staked out behind pair of Wayfarers, his celebrity is based purely on the strength of his subtle, mournful and darkly humourous songs.
County Line is no great departure from his well-worn oeuvre of slightly countrified folk and rock and continues in the nonchalant, unhurried manner of Catacombs, which bodes well for his forthcoming long-player WIT’S END (out in April.)
In some ways, County Line is a just another Cass McCombs tune, and hardly likely to change anyone’s mind about him. But, like Elliott Smith, he’s the kind of songwriter from whom we never tire of hearing new additions to the canon.