suicide medicine
‘”‘I love you’ spills like vomit from her lips,” sings Rocky Votolato on the cut “Secrets of a Salesman,” like a man possessed, the same intently passionate way that he works through the twelve tracks on “Suicide Medicine,” his second full-length solo recording for Second Nature records.
Votolato, who moonlights in the singer/songwriter genre, was originally known for his Seattle-based punk rock band Waxwing. On his own, he has accomplished the feat of having his solo project and band equally known and respected. The trick is his voice. It is raspy, like Ben Nichols of Lucero, but it has more dynamic range. At soft and low points, Votolato sounds like Dashboard Confessional’s Chris Carrabba. At high and screechy points, he is more reminiscent of Piebald’s Travis Shettel. His voice hooks you.
The content careening effortlessly from his lips reels you in. Votolato’s prose is chaotic and poignant; a whirlwind behind the clear skies and light breezy nature of his instrumentalism. He can tell a story like no other and, between the serene sounds of the instruments and his enchanting voice, paying attention is an effortless task. His images are pristine and the plot lines of his tales are fluid.
Yes, he may be a singer/songwriter on the side but he is not lost among the crop. He deserves to be ranked with the elite in our generation of songwriters.
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