Dax Riggs To Say Goodnight To The World In August

Say Goodnight To The World is Riggs' second album under his own name. Known for his work as deadboy & the Elephantmen and with Acid Bath, he shed the deadboy moniker in advance of his debut solo album, We Sing of Only Blood or Love. Blood or Love was released in 2007 by Fat Possum

he new album picks up where the "gutter-rock gold" (Spin, 'Breaking Out') and "revelatory fun" (Esquire) of Blood or Love left off and answers any questions about where his creative ghosts would take him next: Riggs describes, "A kind of transcendental proto-metal, soul-punk poetry."

Say Goodnight To The World was recorded at Riggs' home over two weeks in January. He co-produced the album with Robbie Lee (guitar and multi-instrumentalist; also of The Howling Hex, Baby Dee), with mixing by Eric Wofford (The Black Angels, Bill Callahan). Bandmates Charley Siess and Kevin Fitzsimmons handle drums and bass, respectively.

Riggs' internalized blues seep through his songwriting and lend an otherworldliness to the album, on heavy, haunting tracks like "Say Goodnight To The World" and "Like Moonlight." "Gravedirt On My Blue Suede Shoes," "No One Will Be A Stranger," and "Let Me Be Your Cigarette" deliver the same weight in transmuted form, as deadboy-like deathpop. Couple in his strikingly rich and versatile voice, and his cover of Elvis Presley's "Heartbreak Hotel" is brought to its most forlorn darkest depths. The potent "Sleeping With The Witch" and "You Were Born To Be My Gallows" share deceptively languid, unexpected and odd beauty.