Ian Blurton’s Future Now
Second Skin
(Pajama Party/Seeing Red)
3/5
A mainstay on Toronto’s indie rock scene since the early 1980s, Ian Blurton is set to release a new LP. After decades performing with bands like Cowboy Junkies and C’mon, finding Top 40 success with Change of Heart, and producing records for numerous notable bands, Blurton went solo in 2019. Second Skin is the first for his latest project, Ian Blurton’s Future Now.
Riff-heavy stoner rock with a-late ’70s/early-’80s revival feel, Second Skin is loaded with energy from start to finish. Reminiscent of Dio-era Sabbath with Ozzy Osbourne melodies and a hint of Judas Priest, Blurton and his bandmates don’t waste a moment opening with the lead single, “Like a Ghost.”
Second Skin is good, but it’s not great. It’s technically sound but it needs a falsetto to round things out. That said, Ian Blurton’s Future Now is loaded with elite-level talent (with members of Blue Rodeo and City and Colour in its ranks), with kick-ass guitar, driving bass, and perfectly played 1-2 punk beats and double kick throughout.