The latest album by Danny Kiranos (aka Amigo The Devil) called Yours Until The War Is Over is a great exploration of what it means to live through the hardest of times. While Amigo The Devil is known for its “murderous folk rock,” given the violent nature of the lyrical material, what shouldn’t be lost in the message is the powerful songwriting being brought forth. This album tackles a tragic fight between good and evil and all of the casualties that can get in the way of the bloodshed of war. Kiranos is a top-notch storyteller, and each song plays out like a chapter in a book meant for a bigger purpose than itself. These tracks are sequenced together majestically, purposefully, and sound like a mix between the epic storytelling of Coheed & Cambria, paired with the obscure folk rock of Modest Mouse, and set on blend with the lyrical wit of The Decemberists. Amigo The Devil is showcasing his brilliance in more ways than one on Yours Until The War Is Over.
The album opens with the sprawling, spaghetti-western type song of “I’m Going To Heaven” that would fit well on a soundtrack of a Quentin Tarantino film. The tempo is well-paced and Kiranos emphasizes certain lyrics with fervor to put the intended weight in the consequences of the characters’ actions. “The Mechanic” was the first single to be released from the set, and remains a standout on the record. The soft-laden song is dripping in tragedy and blood, and is as captivating as you’d want in a “songwriter’s album.”
My personal favorite, “Once Upon a Time in Texaco Pt. 1,” sounds like a modern take on Johnny Cash and hits its intended target more often than not. Amigo The Devil has always been known for his epic stories about the tragedies of men, and songs like this one remind me of the magic that can happen when a storyteller grabs the audience by the ear and never lets go. The banjo takes up most of the empty space in the song, but Kiranos’ blood-curdling delivery on the choruses and points of emphasis are a marvel to hear.
Other mid-album standouts like “Cannibal Within” showcase Kiranos’ steady improvement in telling his stories on the faults men have, while “Garden of Leaving” and “Virtue and Vitriol” paint with wide brushstrokes on the canvas that is this album. Amigo The Devil knows how to remain interesting and picks just the right spots to evoke certain emotions in the path laid before him. “Stray Dog” brings some electric, bluesy guitar into the fold, and rocks along with a steady hand and heart.
The album’s final song of “Closer” is mostly a spoken word track that closes out the story found on Yours Until The War Is Over with veteran ease and composure. While this type of music may not be for everyone, I hope that more music fans will take a chance on Amigo The Devil and remember what it feels like to be told a story from start to finish that has more twists and turns than a rollercoaster. This feeling isn’t forced. Instead, it invites the listener to take a seat and hear a tale that is sure to capture their imagination.