For those unaware, raised in rural Arkansas, Tav Falco formed the first incarnation of his band Panther Burns in Memphis in 1979, offering an artful mix of punk, garage, rockabilly and art damage influences, and sharing stages with the likes of The Cramps and The Gun Club.

Legendary friend and mentor Alex Chilton (ex-Box Tops and Big Star) orchestrated their acclaimed debut long player Behind the Magnolia Curtain for Rough Trade Records, before going on to produce the next three Panther Burns albums, using vintage Memphis studios such as Ardent, Sam Phillips Recording and Easley McCain.

Indeed, Tav Falco & Panther Burns have been cited as an influence by everyone from Jon Spencer Blues Explosion to The Fall, Spacemen 3 and Spiritualized, but it is now his brand new solo album Desire On Ice (out now via Org Music) that is of the most interest to all his fans here today.

The songwriting of Southern rock ’n’ roll provocateur Tav Falco is now celebrated on his 14th studio album, Desire On Ice. The album was created over an 18-month period by Falco and his longtime producer and musical partner, Mario Monterosso.

Undoubtedly the most ambitious project in the artist’s 40-plus-year career, the album features an astonishing lineup of an all-star talent who are sympatico with his singular flair and vision.

The concept for Desire On Ice was developed by Mario after having lived with my music for a long time, says Falco, that of rendering these original songs - written solely by me, others in musical collaboration - with newly-evolved treatments. Although sui generis in their original forms, these songs now manifest in unlikely ways.

1. Prologue
2. Gentleman In Black
3. Cuban Rebel Girl
4. Sympathy For Mata Hari
5. Vampire From Havana
6. Doomsday Baby
7. Crying For More
8. The ballad of Rue De La Lune
9. Garden of the Medicis
10. Lady From Shanghai
11. Chamber Of Desire
12. Epilogue

Recorded at the Phillips Recording Service in Memphis this brilliant new recording opens on the atmospheric Prologue and then we get the Western-charged Gentleman In Black, the gently rambunctious Cuban Rebel Girl, the languishing Sympathy For Mata Hari and both the melodically sumptuous Vampire From Havana and the veritably shimmering Doomsday Baby.

Along next is the low slung demeanor of Crying For More and that is itself backed brilliantly by the infectiously-driven The ballad of Rue De La Lune, the rhythmic storytelling of Garden of the Medicis, the enveloping Lady From Shanghai, the set rounding out on the quietly spun Chamber Of Desire, coming to an all too soon close on a ride into the sunset with Epilogue.

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