THE MISSIONARY POSITION

Diamonds in a Dead Sky

 

The Missionary Position plays an intoxicating blend of dark, dirty blues-rock, with

ambient undertones and introspective lyrics that invite comparisons to The

Doors, P.J. Harvey, Mark Lanegan, and Morphine. However, with one listen to

Diamonds in a Dead Sky it is obvious that The Missionary Position has succeeded

in defining a sound for themselves that is undeniably unique.

The Missionary Position was born out of frustration and boredom in the not so

sunny city of Seattle Washington. After spending the better part of a decade as

the “charismatic, cocksure centerpiece” in the swaggering rock ‘n roll band Post

Stardom Depression, Je  Angell found himself on Benjamin Anderson's porch

eager to step over the threshold and into a new musical adventure. The two had

recently reacquainted outside a notorious nightclub and after catching up,

decided to work together on "Something."

Diamonds in a Dead Sky is the result of that time and collaboration. It is a thrilling

collection of songs, equally erotic, intelligent, haunting, and heartwarming.

Recorded beautifully by Anderson; it is over owing with hypnotic organs, sinister

bass lines, savage guitars, and captivating vocals. An ambitious and innovative

debut, Diamonds in a Dead Sky proves that The Missionary Position is capable of

drifting through musical genres effortlessly and without sacrificing a feel that is

both genuine and specific.

Lyrically, Diamonds in a Dead Sky is an intense and intimate recrection of the

urban underbelly from which it spawned. Throughout characters are tortured by

forgotten lovers, addictions, the authorities and the eternal question. On "All My

Mistakes" Angell laments "There used to be something you liked about me / I

remember when looking you in the eye was easy." In "The Big Sleep" he confesses

"I love my government as much as they love me," and during "Here Comes the

Machine" he predicts that "They'll be giving us away for nothing / when we run

out of gasoline."

Rarely does a singer possess both the voice and the poetic ability to put it to

good use. Angell is an exception. He has been accused of “reminding would-be

rockers what a front man’s role is,” nominated for best male vocalist in the Seattle

Weekly, and compared to some of the best of our time. The appeal of his voice is

both alluring and abrasive, characterized by the urgency one would expect from

a seasoned soloist in a Southern Baptist Church.

Other notable musicians that contributed to Diamonds in a Dead Sky are

monster drummer Kennedy James, who has also kept time for the legendary

George Clinton, drummer/entrepreneur Nabil Ayers (the Long Winters) and the

talented Gregor Lothian on saxophone.

There is a common thread that runs through The Missionary Position’s cinematic

debut. It is as apparent in the relentless barnburner "Let's start a Fire" as it is in

the haunting gospel of "All My Mistakes." That thread is “soul,” which is a quality

that can’t be manufactured.

 

PRAISE FOR DIAMONDS IN A DEAD SKY:

“A particularly dirty brand of rock and roll: the kind

found in vinyl collections alongside classics such as the

Doors - Dirty but intelligent” -Lauren Napier

 

“The Missionary Position, has the ability to make the

knees of every chick in town with questionable morals

quiver, but packs an organic, socially conscious

punch.” - Matt Driscoll

 

“The (Missionary) Position’s music is slinky and seedy,

an intense sound that smolders with sexual tension

under a murky surface. The songs creep along the

shadows between R&B and rock ’n’ roll, burning slow

under the husky voice of frontman Jeff Angell.”

-The Bulletin - Bend, OR

 

“Diamonds is swampy, blues-based, soulful guitar rock

with enough electronic ripples to lend it a menacing

air. It's a modern take on blues, with the occasional

haunting chorus in the background, minor chords,

metronome-precise rhythms and an arms-open-wide

attitude toward electronics, horns, woodwinds,

keyboards and feedback. Add Angell's gritty vocals to

the mix and the whole album is as dense as a warm

front.” -Amy Atkins - Boise Weekly

 

“Urgently sexual music…. Undeniable!”