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One of the mostspine-tingling recent rock albums has roots going back 3,000 years to theancient folk magic of the Near East. CharmingHostess draws many of its lyrics from ancient Jewish texts, their images of aleviathan in the boundless deep and the firmament overhead powerfully sung byJewlia Eisenberg in the voice of an avenging Lilith.
The Bowls Project opens with “Bird of Rivers,” an oceanic torrent of klezmer KingCrimson, followed by “Bound and Turned Aside,” a heavy-metal incantationagainst evil fleshed out by knife-sharp violins and viola. Charming Hostessalso connects with the mystic undercurrents of other cultures. The Childeballad “Hangman” is transposed to the nasal tones of Appalachiaand given a sinister rock arrangement, while the traditional blues of “DyingBed” races in a country rock shuffle with snaky guitar, probably by guest starMarc Ribot.
