The Paper Chase

The Paper Chase opens its fourth album by rhyming I want your wicked parts with I want to eat out your bitter heart, a daring couplet that could crash in less capable hands. Instead, John Congleton’s dramatic voice, which quivers with authentic intensity, sells every word, and the claustrophobic backdrop conjures images of a mad pianist stomping on his keys to the tune of Psycho‘s sawing strings. Like the Dresden Dolls, another act known for its cabaret quirks, the Paper Chase grounds its sound with seismic drum tremors. Three albums into its career, the Dallas-based trio has yet to exhaust its supply of intriguing song titles (“Now We Just Slowly Circle the Draining Fish Bowl”), compelling characters (evil scavengers attempting panicked death-bed conversions) and chaotic melodies.