The Big Dream

That film director David Lynch has released a follow-up to 2011's Crazy Clown Time some 18 months later somewhat explains why he hasn't put out a full-length film since 2006's Inland Empire. Lynch truly has been busy in the studio recording music. Just as songs and incidental sounds were critical in creating atmosphere in his films, atmosphere is central to his music. Working again with sound engineer Dean Hurley, Lynch captures a mysterious, slow-building, disembodied tension that recalls vintage rockabilly, blues, and pop from decades long past, all while sounding sleekly modern. A cover of Bob Dylan's "The Ballad of Hollis Brown" (which Lynch admits is more a cover of Nina Simone's version) falls in line with the hypnotic, repetitive sounds of tracks such as "We Rolled Together" and "Last Call." The weirder moments are when he breaks from this pattern on the straightforward "Sun Can't Be Seen No More" and the melodically beyond-his-reach "Are You Sure," just before the bonus track "I'm Waiting Here," where Lynch hands over the tougher parts to Swedish singer/songwriter Lykke Li.