Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan, Hawk

By Noreen Sobczyk

Mark Lanegan and Isobel Campbell are well-known artists, each in their own right, coming from The Screaming Trees and Belle and Sebastian respectively. On their three collaborations thus far, the duo often resembles the lazy, hazy ease of bands such as Mazzy Star or The Cowboy Junkies.

While the Campbell/Lanegan collaborations are often gorgeous, Hawk proves that this formula might have worked best in one concentrated dose—perhaps as one release—instead of being portioned out repeatedly over multiple efforts.

The repetitive, simple chord progressions and melodies on Hawk are not enough to keep the listener consistently engaged. Even the lyrics on “Cool Water” are predictable. While the sultry “Come Undone” does follow this formula, it somehow manages to be a standout track on a record of otherwise forgettable folk rock anthems to Slumberland. The only other track that follows the formula successfully is “Sunrise,” which sounds like a lost Angelo Badalamenti/David Lynch composition for Julee Cruise.

Hawk jumps from the vibe of a mellow drug induced stupor into the porch stomping glee of a hootenanny, as on the track “Get Behind Me.” It’s the latter style that works best for the duo at this point in their collaborative careers. James Iha’s guitar solo on the strong composition “You Won’t Let Me Down Again” is a welcome shot of adrenaline on a record far too often stripped down to the bare essentials. Although the album’s title track is incongruous with the overall vibe, its rockabilly swing brings much needed energy.

It’s when Hawk varies from its “less is more ” philosophy that it is most successful, as in “Eyes of Green, ” which follows the basic songwriting structure, but adds military drums and a lovely string arrangement, making the track a standout. The Dylanesque album closer “Lately” benefits greatly from the addition of outsourced gospel vocals

Perhaps in todays iTunes world, where sales often equate single cuts, the importance of an album’s flow has been forgotten. Campbell and Lanegan have distinct voices, yet the chemistry on Hawk often bears too much resemblance to the combination of Ambien and a glass of cabernet sauvignon. And that’s the trouble with much of the material on this record: the less engaging tracks mess with the record’s equilibrium, and it comes off as lazy rather than merely relaxed.

Hawk was released on August 24 via Vanguard Records. To hear tracks, check out Isobel Campbell’s MySpace page. Mark Lanegan will be touring with Ms. Campbell throughout September and October; look for tour dates on his MySpace page.