This has got to be the one Gregory Douglass album that I can't entirely put my finger on. Out of all of his records, this one is possibly the coldest, as it's almost winter captured on an album. At the time, this was an experimental album for Gregory, whose music had always been a lot more uplifting and lot less dark (see Pseudo-Rotary), but as it stands right now, Stark is the first of a series of very introspective albums-- proceeding the incredible Up & Away and the haunting Battler (to be released in 2009). By 2003, Gregory had perfected his songwriting, at least, in my opinion, and on this 2005 album, there seems to be a little playing-- while the words themselves are classic Gregory and solid, the structure of the lyrics are a lot more complex on this album that ever before.

Currently being played as an encore, the album's opener Crazy Love is gorgeous, and, strangely, works as both an introduction and a conclusion. It's a very dark-sounding sound, almost to the point of eerie, but we save that for later tracks. Upside Down is one of my personal favorites from the album, as it really sets the tone of a very distant sounding record, appropriately reflecting the album title. It's one of the catchier songs on Stark, and that isn't a common feature on this record. This album very much reminds me of Alanis Morissette's Supposed Former Infacuation Junkie album, where you've got some catchy tracks, but mostly it's an incredible collection of something much greater.

One of the few times that Mr. Douglass explicitly sings about another man is present on this album-- Dry, which is, in my opinion, the best song on the album. This song perfectly captures a common issue in the gay/lesbian community: "You're just in love with a boy from the darkside of town, because he's always around. He's just a matter of circumstance-- not so profound." The idea that you'd date someone solely out of convenience is such a relevant topic in my own world, and I had never heard it in lyrical form. This track, which is also quite addictive, was on repeat for a very long time.

Sail the Sea, a fan favorite (and one popular at concerts), is one of the most baffling songs, but only because it's from the point of view of a friend whose girlfriend had decided to leave. It's power, it's full of energy, it's abrasive, and it gets under your skin as he wails out, "Don't tell me! You don't know a damn thing about my life!" It sounds just that better live, by the way. You can get it on Retro-Active: Volume 1 through CDBaby.com .

Other great tracks include the sad and dark Where Did the Music Go? and Under the Gun, the latter of which feature backing vocals from Lisa Piccirillo. The most experimental track is definitely Alibis, which plays with strange vocal effects and lyrical overlapping-- it's a song to be listened to through very nice headphones in the dark. Highly recommended. The album closes on a very bittersweet note with Better Tomorrow, which features a choir on backup. It's very strange to finish an album with a, frankly, depressing type of track, but it really works in the mystical context that is Stark.

Overall, this is another amazing 5-star record from Gregory Douglass, a man whose personality reflects very well in his music. Where as his previous album Pseudo-Rotary was very warm, inviting, and had many bells and whistles, Stark is the opposite. It's a very cold album, though, so expect to get chills when listening to it. It's the perfect night time winter album.

Tracklist
Crazy Love
Upside Down
Under the Gun
Sail the Sea
Promises
Liar
Where Did the Music Go?
Dry
Alibis
Goodbye
Better Tomorrow

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Recommended: Yes

Great Music to Play While: Sleeping