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Aug 19, 2020 Web Exclusive By Matt the Raven

Hot on the heels of her first ever solo singles “Rise” and “It Ain’t Water” comes spoken word album Sound Wheel from Alison Mosshart, the enigmatic frontwoman of The Kills and starry eyed singer with Jack White’s The Dead Weather.

As the companion piece to her art book CAR MA, Sound Wheel contains 47 spoken word tracks that play out more like a drunken history of the fusion of two American splendors—cars and rock n’ roll—than any poetic dreams.

Some tracks comprise Mosshart recalling personal experiences with cars and/or at car shows. Some are sound bites from personal phone conversations and some are Mosshart’s whimsical musings. Each is a unique spin revolving around the thrill of a revving engine, the stench of oil and cigarette smoke, and the sense of freedom the automobile induces. All are offered with the attitude that rock n’ roll permits as she couples the spoken words with radio and car sound effects, music, and other background distractions.

It’s not an album of recordings that can stand on its own easily. For the full experience, you really should listen to Sound Wheel while flipping through CAR MA, the book featuring her art, photography, and writings. For fans eagerly awaiting the next Kills record amid the coronavirus pandemic, the two solo singles, CAR MA, and Sound Wheel are welcome distractions from this talented multi-disciplinary artist. (www.instagram.com/amosshart/)

Author rating: 6/10