CD Reviews

Sean Brown Ready Fire Aim Independent / 2007 ♥♥♥♥	Plug in and play! In a world where “I’m a musician” is met with blank, cynical stares, the quantum leaps from basement to MySpace.com to stage cannot be met with hesitation. It’s no surprise that indie rockers seem to lead the pack when it comes to sheer output. Winnipegger Sean Brown’s debut, Ready Fire Aim embodies their child-like approach to recording. With muddy guitars kicking in like a classic Tragically Hip tune, a driving beat reminiscent of the Cure, and foray of tone-deaf pitches married with a David Lee Roth lounge vibrato, the opening track, “Only Human,” speaks volumes about Brown’s approach to music. Singing “I am one big disaster,” he spells out his musical fallibility; you’ll accept any of the album’s subsequent “flaws” as intentional rawness. The orchestration throughout is simple; usually a minimal guitar, bass, drum groove takes you through to the end of a song, like the lazy, ballad “A Better Way” or the fun-in-the-sun, Police-esque “Oh life.” Occasionally he’ll throw in a curve ball, like the odd timing of the slow, descending bass line in “All I’m Chasing.” However, the high-end, painfully out-of-tune guitar soloing provides the necessary Indie continuity throughout. Brown sprinkles the album with falsetto, lightening the mood; putting a smile on your face, you’ll be more receptive to the head-swaying catchiness. Record labels, stay away from Brown! Authenticity is a delicate art. — Nick MacMahon, staff
Kayla Luky Story of my Life Independent / 2007 ♥♥♥♥	The content of Kayla Luky’s third full-length album, Story of my Life, is exactly what one expects if one is so bold as to judge the album by its cover. The pressed flowers and leaves on the cover are like Luky’s flowery songs: simple and organically beautiful. Both Luky’s hairstyle and occasional intertwining of her mid-range head voice conjure up imagery of Joni Mitchell. The whole concept of the album seems enchantingly based on something out of the ’60s . . . or Wolseley. Locally recorded, Story of my Life is honest in that it is neither clean nor overproduced. You’d hear her sliding fingers changing chords in a coffeehouse and such is captured here as a charming nuance. This album is put together well; the mellow and slower songs are spaced appropriately between more lively and varied tracks. Luky’s uncomplicated riffs are fitting for this acoustic folk album. Her raw, organic voice is full of character and works well for this sweet, simple, and soulful effort. — Jacqueline Hogue, staff
Kent McAlister and the Iron Choir The Way It Rolls Independent / 2007 ♥♥♥♥	Calgary-born songwriter Kent McAlister’s second release, The Way It Rolls, is a step in the right direction for anyone looking for a little rustic country amidst their current library. At first listen, it’s hard to immediately distinguish The Way It Rolls as country; McAlister uses his jazz influences to put a different spin on play-it-again country music. Along with pedal steel and trumpet, McAlister’s smooth vocals give a solid foundation to The Way It Rolls’ more elaborate elements: time changes, breaks, and a mariachi feel that wanders in and out of the melodies. As a result, the album feels more Pacific in its roots than your grittier, prairie-country ballad. Not without its pitfalls, the album’s length is something to be demanded, featuring only nine tracks. McAlister clearly promotes quality over quantity, like the wistful, breezy treatment of Leonard Cohen’s “That’s No Way To Say Goodbye.” However, by the time you reach the seventh track (“The Way It Rolls”), there’s hardly a dip in pace; many of the sounds begin to blend and you can only ride on the momentum of the beat. For a low-radar Canadian release, The Way It Rolls succeeds in being a short reprieve from the mainstream country we are all too familiar with. If you’re a fan of upbeat tell-it-like-it-is country, then Kent McAlister and the Iron Choir will deliver. — Ian Baxter, volunteer staff