To quote the man Matt Arbogast himself, "This fucker sounds just like Tom Waits, Do we need another Tom Waits?" Well, for much of the latest EP of the three bundled up for this 'album' release, it's a rasping Tom Waits fronting the raggamuffin era Dexys Midnight Runners running through the more frantic songs from Neutral Milk Hotel’s In the Aeroplane Over the Sea. In fact, in comparison, he’s close to making Tom Waits sound like the latest Pop Idol contender waiting for their balls to drop. At other times we have a croaking blue collar balladeer in the style of a folky Ghost Of Tom Joad Springsteen. This is an album from an artist that sounds ravaged - physically and emotionally, and to concentrate on it can leave you wilting and feeling the same.The Gunshy is Matt Arbogast with latterly a few more permanent friends fleshing out his stark singer-songwriter style. He is currently based in Chicago but seems to live a rather down at heel DIY beatnik style existence spending the majority of his time touring and being inspired by Guthrie and early Dylan. Indeed, there are a couple of more or less unaccompanied spoken word poems. His fourth and previous album There's No Love In This War was an interesting concept - being scripted by Arbogast's G.I. grandfather's letters to his future wife during WWII, but here he’s back to angsty tales of living on the road and on the edge, with at least a couple of songs (including the title track ”“ a highlight) working on the premise of writing as an old man looking back on his memories and regrets. There are sixteen tracks in all on this collection, with two years separating the original release dates of each of the other EPs such that they predate a couple of existing album releases. The middle one was actually recorded in his Chicago apartment and as might be expected, the previous two have a leaner sound before the creation of a semi-permanent band with violin, mandolin, trumpet and even female harnonising to augment Arbogast’s gruff voice and acoustic guitar.There's no denying his conviction about the message of his songs: the passionate 'What Will They Speak Of When You're Gone' is a prime example and is moving in his almost suicidal assessment of his own career (“Playing to 15 people / It was the most in 14 days / And I think it's time for a change / Get off the f***ing stage”). He has the intensity of Shane McGowan at full throttle but it just off getting the hairs on the back of your neck prickling with the same enthusiasm - which means the unrelenting hoarse gravely bite of his voice can get wearing. There is this forceful personal passion and gripping prose, but not many memorable melodies to lighten the attack on the ears. The graceful trumpet of ‘Song of the Civilized’ and the elegant string quartet on 'My Home It Shall No Longer Be The Sea' are soothing transient oases amid the grit gargling. Without these two bookends the second EP might be too one dimensional to bear for some.Any time you need an antidote to sugary pop you know where to come to get purged. It can be hard work all in one sitting despite an appreciation for his obvious sincerity. Some of the simpler feelings of love expressed on The Gunshy’s previous album might have brought some variation here, but it’s hard to knock someone who puts his heart and soul so completely into his sad, confessional and brutal music. I think I need a little lie down now. 65%The Gunshy on MySpace