The Sophomore Slump is a very real and measureable thing that looms before every new band: the almost certainly doomed second album. There’s never any guarantee of safety for anyone – not The Doors, not The Who, not Arcade Fire, and most certainly not MGMT. For some, it’s a slight downward dip from the genius of their opening act to the level of ‘still pretty fantastic’. But for more, it’s their seemingly Deus Ex Machina powered debut sputtering out under the pressures of touring, of turning out a face melting follow-up, or simply admitting their drug-addled fledgling effort was a one-off. So if Reversing Falls needed a gap year or three to get their heads screwed on, who can blame them? Their second album has been worth the wait, and instead of a slump, it makes their debut look more like a warm-up. Continue reading New Music: Reversing Falls’ ‘Reversing Falls 2’
Tag Archives: Album Review
New Music: Courtney Smith’s ‘Turn Left Fifteen Years Ago’
Courtney Smith’s new release, ‘Turn Left Fifteen Years Ago’, marks itself as a solid debut album, providing an experience as full of wistful melancholy as the title implies. Featuring a heavily acoustic-driven folk basis throughout, Smith is able to capture a consistent sound while still toying with it enough to keep each track unique and the album free of repetition. From the slow-paced depression of ‘A Folk Song’ to the upbeat, rolling tempo and panoramic poetry of ‘Senses’, Smith’s melodies are pleasant to the ear yet evocative in both content and sound of a life spent drifting and doubting. Continue reading New Music: Courtney Smith’s ‘Turn Left Fifteen Years Ago’
New Music: David Picco’s ‘Start Again’
Although David Picco has been touring in Toronto for the last twelve years, the Newfoundland-born song-smith, with ‘Start Again‘, his fourth album, he’s returned to his native East Coast, both literally and metaphorically. As you listen to the opening track, ‘Baby, I’m Gone Away’, you realise that David has spoken to your innermost thoughts, wishes, and desires. You’ve left your old life behind you, you’ve checked out of the hotel, and you’re ready for the next adventure. Continue reading New Music: David Picco’s ‘Start Again’
New Music: Duane Andrews’ ‘Conception Bay’
Guitar virtuoso Duane Andrews’ new album, ‘Conception Bay’, is an ambitious undertaking, pairing Andrews’ jazz-influenced guitar with a string quartet and pulling from a spectrum of jazz, classical arrangements, and traditional Newfoundland folk music. Going into the album with just this description, you might expect it to be full of overwrought, difficult songs that are impossible to enjoy without a passion for all three genres. Legitimate fear though it may be, anyone familiar with Andrews’ previous masterful takes at blended-genre records already knows that he is more than capable of meeting the challenges, and as such, ‘Conception Bay’ is accessible and enjoyable for any music lover willing to listen. Continue reading New Music: Duane Andrews’ ‘Conception Bay’
New Music: Little You, Little Me’s ‘I’d Watch The Day Till It Died’
I’d bought Little You, Little Me‘s full-length debut ‘What Have You Been Doin’ With Yer Time?’ not simply out of want, but out of necessity. Hooked by a wistful blend of infectious riffs and youthful romanticism, I found myself nursing an earworm and exhausting my supply of complimentary Bandcamp listens after three days. Fast forward a year, and their sophomore full-length ‘I’d Watch The Day Till It Died’ marks the arrival of a more mature, well-crafted, and conceptualized album that is sure to peg them as one of the Maritimes most exciting bands of 2016. Continue reading New Music: Little You, Little Me’s ‘I’d Watch The Day Till It Died’