Pay Attention to Vic

From first listen, you know that Vic Chesnutt’s Skitter on Take-Off is a special album. His spoken word lyrics, alongside a stripped-down acoustic sound, force you to pay attention to what Chesnutt is saying. He addresses a myriad of emotions that will find you laughing or deeply disturbed. Either way, it’s an album that’s worth listening to.

Several outstanding tracks abound on this album. “Feast in the Time of Plague” is definitely one of them. Lyrics like “You were a beautiful pig” give upsetting images a sense of levity and thoughtfulness at the same time. This duality is emphasized with Chesnutt’s minimal use of instruments. It gives the maximum effect of evoking loneliness and heartache. Then “Unpacking my Suitcase” reflects how much we take with us when a long-term relationship is over. We often unknowingly do what Chesnutt says and take the good bits of our romances by “squirreling them away//for the long lean winter.” Another emotional heartbreaker – and yet the song fades out with a sense of hope. Just because something is lost doesn’t mean you can’t find it again. That’s a comforting thought, even if it’s not Chesnutt’s intent.

“Dimples” weaves an interesting story that you will continually replay to get a sense of how everything unfolds. It’s like reading a Cormac McCarthy novel, only you’re satiated at the end, since every time you listen to the song, you can interpret the last line of the track depending on your mood.

Chesnutt has a way with words that keeps you engaged in his music and “Rips in the Fabric” is exemplary of that. Although downbeat, it has this catchy-haunting sound that resonates within you long after it’s over. Ironically, the up-tempo “Society Sue” has a depressing storyline. The “Calamity Jane” figure of the title song never seems to realize that she’s the third wheel. Deeper still, you wonder if there is a bit of “Society Sue” in all of us – those of us who are desperate to fit in and are either oblivious or don’t care how they come across.

“My New Life” is the type of song that you can only hear when you’re really- really happy, or you’re so low that this song will help you realize that you’re not alone in your misery. Either way, it’s thought-provoking. It’s also a testament to Chesnutt’s songwriting skills to have a song that can make you smile after going through a rollercoaster of emotions.

Depending on your politics, you’ll take or leave “Dick Cheney.” It’s not the strongest song on the album; perhaps because it is obvious. And Chesnutt is at his best when the listener finds their own meanings to his songs. That said, “Worst Friend” is the best song off the album since it will remind you of all the people you attract, particularly “the friend who likes to get peed on – sexually” and the one “who touched you inappropriately.” The album ends with “Sewing Machine,” yet another haunting song about a family that could be turned into a short story. Once again, you get to create your own ending.

Recorded live, all the songs written by Chesnutt will leave you feeling like an exposed nerve. The thing is, Chesnutt makes you like it, and that’s not a bad thing.