Julie Doiron
So Many Days
(Aporia Records)
3/5
The past three years have seen Canadian singer-songwriter Julie Doiron move from Montreal to Sackville to Toronto. Also, bear in mind that So Many Days is the last in a trilogy of Doiron solo records. It’s been said that good things come in threes. I loved about three songs on this album. The rest is just okay.
This disc ranges from grungy to country, and it’s always heartfelt. Doiron battles with an unshakeable sadness in “Can’t Make It No More,” where listing all the good things in her life can’t pull her out of the doldrums. “Homeless” is the best example of passion over preparation: sparse musical accompaniment brings the hurt to the forefront. So why does it feel like I’m listening to some upstart girl band from the early ’90s?
If you want truth from the lips of a female singer-songwriter, give So Many Days a listen. Julie Doiron doesn’t possess the strongest singing voice in the land, but she brings emotion in triplicate.
-Dan Darling
Slam Dunk
Welcome To Miami
(File Under: Music Records)
4.5/5
This local five-piece cranks out pop hooks with unabashed energy on their second album, Welcome to Miami.
There’s a ’60s garage feel during much of this album. By the last track, “Fantasy,” you can’t help but feel like you’re listening to a dusty old 45 you found in the back of your dad’s box of records. The weird, and wonderful, thing is it doesn’t sound timeworn or overdone.
Catchiness oozes from tunes like “Dying Breed,” where funky saxophone backs lyrics as confident as the music: “Give it up now, I’m the one you need/Well, I’m a dying breed.”
There are moments on the album when the energy converts the singing into yelling, but it’s easily overlooked when your head is bobbing and your toes are tapping.
Comparisons could be made with bands from any era from the ’60s to today, but I’m keeping my mouth shut and sticking with my gut on this one. This record is a hell of a good time.
-Dan Darling
Backward Music
Volume One
(Forward Music Group)
2/5
Backward Music, an offshoot of Forward Music Group, is an Atlantic Canadian outfit focusing on “creative and innovative music outside of the mainstream.” Their debut album, Volume One, certainly seems to validate this self-perspective.
The songs are completely melodic, with zero vocals, using a mish-mash of acoustic and synthesized instruments. The closest genre this could be referenced to would be country or folk music.
While the songs of Volume One are quite soothing and follow a good flow, they can also be quite repetitive and a bit boring. While many other tunes build up to something big, or tell a compelling story, the slow melodies of Volume One do neither of these things. While certainly unique, Volume One lacks any real attention-grabbing aspects, leaving me bored and waiting for the next track to start.
-Patrick Hallihan
Rain over St. Ambrose
Truth for News
(Acadian Embassy Records)
3/5
Rain Over St. Ambrose is a rock ‘n’ roll band hailing from the foggy shores of Nova Scotia.
Truth for News is the debut full-length disc from this soft-spoken bunch.
The songs are filled with mostly uplifting beats, but something about the lead singer’s voice always sounds sad, adding a subtext of pain or sorrow to all their songs. It makes for an interesting combination, for sure.
Rain Over St. Ambrose are clearly trying to convey some personal experiences through Truth for News, which is easily identified through their lyrics and the way they convey their music. If you’re in the mood for some softer rock, Rain Over St. Ambrose would be worth taking a gander at.
-Patrick Hallihan
Soundgarden
King Animal
(Seven Four Entertainment)
4/5
The first track on this comeback disc from Seattle grunge legends Soundgarden is “Been Away Too Long.” Those words could not hold any truer to how fans (particularly myself) feel: King Animal is the group’s first full-length release since ’97.
After the release of the single “Live to Rise” this past summer, something more needed to happen to prove that Soundgarden still has it. They do. King Animal lives up to my high expectations.
Vocalist Chris Cornell can still hit those high notes just like back in the Badmotorfinger days (not that we ever doubted it, right?). Songs from this album will blend nicely live with older tunes.
You’d never know that drummer Matt Cameron was recording for two bands simultaneously: his focus and precision are astounding given he’s drummer for both Soundgarden and long-rocking Seattle band Pearl Jam.
I can’t stop listening to this album. I just can’t get enough.
-Megan Gibson