Steve Poltz
Noineen Noiny Noin
(Arrival Records)
4/5
Cute album title, no? Luckily, Steve Poltz, who has been plying his singer-songwriter trade for a while, makes up for it on this, his thirteenth disc. Here, it’s all classic rock stomps, like opener “Spirit Hands,” which reminds you of nothing more than just how damn good Led Zeppelin III really was. “Croatia” melds indie-beard credibility with a mainstream CanRock swagger; much of the album holds tight and steady right there, like a Black Crowes with a slight above-the-49th quirkiness. But simpler is better: check out “Slovania Breeze” or “Check Your Head”, both of which sound like lost Stones jams from their heyday. I love the ragged production, the rough and tumble jam-room feel, the classic rock vibe. I’m not sure about wildly cliché lines like “I was lost but now I’m found again,” but, you know, you can’t win ’em all. On this disc, Poltz wins ’em most, and that’s saying a lot.