Stace England and the Salt Kings
The Amazing Oscar Micheaux
Rankoutsider Records

Stace England has previously written of racism and bigotry and he continues in this vein while celebrating the life of Oscar Micheaux, a pioneer African American filmmaker who's unjustly unknown.

"Vendome" celebrates Micheaux's unique and revolutionary vision to a stompin' beat. England sings of how black audiences might have thrilled to see people just like them on the screen. "The Symbol of the Unconquered" was his forth film and it tried to tell a truer story than D.W Griffith's Birth of a Nation did. The song's soft hush tells the story well and has a great vocal by England. "Body and Soul" was the title of a film that featured the great Paul Robeson as two brothers. The song is a moving, stately thing with a longing well described.

"The Betrayal" ends the album with Oscar Micheaux feeling betrayed by all who loved him, and forgotten by the world. But with this album England is commentating this brave, gifted man and hopefully many people will discover his life and work now. He really was amazing and so is this album.

Copyright © 2010 Anna Maria Stjärnell