Addppol Reviews 4.23.07
DATE: 4.23.07ARTIST:Great Lake Swimmers
TITLE: Ongiara (Nettwerk)
GENRE: FOLK/SS
GRADE: A
REVIEW: In the past, Great Lake Swimmers have drawn comparisons with Iron
and Wine, Nick Drake, America and Neil Young, but on this, their third
album, its difficult to see past Neil Young. Main man Tony Dekkers voice
has exactly the plaintive yearning quality that made After The Goldrush
irresistible to many close your eyes and it could be 1970 all over again.
The songs, all finely crafted by Dekker, are melodic, distinctive and
sing-along material. Without overstating the case, there is a loose
concept to the album, the subject matter ambiguously blurring the
distinction between personal and environmental issues. So, the opening
track, Your Rocky Spine, is addressed as if to a partner/lover about their
body but is really a paean to the beauty of Dekkers native Canada.
Changing Colours achieves the same ambiguity, this time about the changes
to the landscape in autumn. Taken together, all the songs radiate
positivism, without preaching or carrying overt messages. A neat trick to
pull off. A gripe previously voiced about Great Lake Swimmers is that
despite sounding beautiful they lacked substance. This time around, that
charge wont stick. Yes, the music is sublime, but there is far more to it
than that.
RECOMMENDED TRACKS: 1, 2, 5, 7, 9
REVIEWER: John Eyles - dustedmagazine.com
DATE: 4.23.07
ARTIST: Tim Finn
TITLE: Imaginary Kingdom (Manhattan/EMI)
GENRE: ROCK/MAINSTREAM
GRADE: A
REVIEW: From New Zealand, Crowded House vet Tim Finn has an inate sense of
writing and performing charming and catchy pop songs. Great hooks, clever
wordplay, infectious music.
RECOMMENDED TRACKS: 1, 3, 4, 6, 9, 12
REVIEWER:
DATE: 3.23.07
ARTIST: The Cat Mary
TITLE:Postbellum Neighborhood (Swampland)
GENRE:FOLK/SS
GRADE: A
REVIEW: California band, doing the radically-rearrange thing to a number
of roots classics (Old Slewfoot and Blue Yodel #8) and some odd choices
(Tom Waits' Filipino Boxspring Hog). Ambient chamber-folk, for the most
part. Very cool and original, considering the traditional instrumentation.
RECOMMENDED TRACKS: 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10
REVIEWER: Jim Manion/WFHB
DATE: 3.23.07
ARTIST: Feist
TITLE: The Reminder (Cherrytree)
GENRE: rock/alt
GRADE: A+
REVIEW:While this Canadian singer-songwriters critically acclaimed 2nd
album Let It Die was split roughly between originals and covers, her much
anticipated follow-up finds her coming more into her own as a songwriter.
All but one song was written or co-written by Feist, and theyre an
impressive bunch, ranging from catchy uptempo pop to intimate acoustic
torch ballads flavored with bossa nova and other styles.
RECOMMENDED TRACKS: 1, 3, 6, 9, 10
REVIEWER:Don Yates/KEXP reviews
also added:
Various Artists SC100 (Secretly Canadian)
The Detroit Cobras Tied & True (Bloodshot)
Alex Delivery Star Destroyer (Jagjaguwar)
Natalie Walker Urban Angel (Dorado)
Hambone Lightning In My Hands (Hambone)
Ceu Ceu (Six Degrees)
posted by WFHB Music @ 3:44:00 PM
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