The Corner Man
The Corner Man is the much-anticipated new LP by The Cairo Gang and the first full-length of new material since the impossible to find '06 record Twyxt Wyrd. In the time between, Emmett Kelly and The Gang has worked on various projects including 2010's Holy Clover EP (Empty Cellar), and collaborations with Bonnie "Prince" Billy for the critically acclaimed LP and 10", The Wondershow of the World and Island Brothers, both on Drag City. This is their first full length for Empty Cellar, and we couldn't be more psyched to see how it's come together. The Corner Man is a marked departure from Wondershow in presenting a diverse program of songs that explores Kelly's own singular voice and production styles. It contains lush, full arrangements that span from tentative and intimate ballads, to searing guitar and deep pocket drumming - always with the lead voice way out front and a wild bed of gorgeous harmony just behind it. On this effort Emmett is joined by Chicago musicians Leroy Bach (Wilco, The Boogie Band), Ben Babbitt (Pillars and Tongues, This Is Cinema), Sam Wagster (The Father Costume), avant-garde pianist Ben Boye. Mixed with worldly recording wizard David Vandervelde and mastered by Paul Oldham, The Corner Man is presented on glorious vinyl in an elegant old-style paste-on sleeve and letter-pressed obi.