Tom Morello: The Nightwatchman

The Fabled City

[3/5]

By now, Rage Against The Machine and Audioslave fans should know that Tom Morello’s solo venture has little in common with anything he’s put his name to in the past. Like his 2007 debut One Man Revolution, The Fabled City is an impressive effort from the incendiary guitarist. Sitting somewhere between Nick Cave and Leonard Cohen, the album focuses less on sonic intensity and hard riffing and more on lyrical depth. It’s not a classic by any means, but there are enough great moments to excite those with an open mind. While the debut record was heavily weighted toward acoustic guitar, Morello has made a conscious effort to plug in this time around, and the title track and “Whatever It Takes” benefit as a result. Arguably anything Morello releases is worth listening to, and The Fabled City, while not perfect, is no different. (EPIC) Brett Callwood