The CanCon Catalogue

Tuesday Revue: In which I write about the new releases that might actually be worth checking out.


The Tuesday Revue: Remember back before the internet? Back when if you wanted to hear a new album you actually had to wait for it to be released, and then go, physically GO, buy it? Those days sucked, right? But there was also something to the experience of carefully considering which works were worth your time and cash, and then experiencing them as a whole. The Tuesday Revue tries to present, for your consideration, albums that might actually be worth more investment than the time it takes to find a torrent. This week: Gentleman Reg and K'naan.


I. Gentleman Reg- Jet Black

I don't know whether it's microtizing or a huge marketing blitz across the spectrum (my money's on the former), buts ads for this release have been following me around the internet for the past much. Fair enough. Because from a marketer's perspective, this album is right up my alley: a semi-quirky singer-songwriter who is a former member of the Hidden Cameras and Broken Social Scene member and is regularly compared to (and works with) Sufjan Stevens releases his long-anticipated fourth album? That's definitely within my niche, even if I have the same amount of passion for Sufjan Stevens as I do for, I don't know, flax (I'm aware it exists and may even get a taste once in a while, but darned if I know or remember-- how's that for a metaphor?)

But even with the targeted marketing coming my way and the buzz coming out of ear-to-the-ground outlets as far back as November '08, I really expected to shrug my shoulders at this one, so when I actually sat down to give it a listen, I came out surprised. The first fourteen seconds of the first song, "Coastlines" had me thinking all my expectations were correct: acoustic guitar? Check. Lo-fi vocals? Check. Backing female vocals that sound like someone's sister? Check. But then, fifteen seconds in the song drops in key for mere moments, and suddenly the song sounds like mid-90s alt rock circa the Foo Fighters, and then at 0:36 there's actually some Talking Heads style guitar noodling. When the not-quite honky-tonk piano comes in, I'm sold.

And that's where Gentlemen Reg gets his strength. He plays the style of 2007-2009 indie rock that we all love to hate, but it's rooted in and draws from (alt) rock history, throwing in enough variety to keep it interesting. "When Heroes Switch Professions" sounds like it's recorded underwater, "How We Exit" has some Queen of the Stones Age type riffiage going on, and "Rudy" cribs an organ line from the Trojan Records catalogue. Every song has at least three distinct parts to it, and the variety of instruments is always used for effect, not novelty. Don't get me wrong, with the possible exception of "We're In A Thunderstorm," which draws on the trance movement of a decade ago, this album is firmly within the "twee" (if that's the word) singer-songwriter spectrum, but is better than average.

If nothing else, check out the first single "You Can't Get It Back," (posted below). This is a definite highlight, with Reg at his most rock and roll, the mumbled lyrics coming off like Hayden and the slightly distorted guitar coming off like Randy Bachman.

You can preview the whole album at Gentleman Reg's myspace, and you can buy the album from Arts and Crafts or cheaper at Zunior.

"Coastlines"




Next Review: K'naan, "Troubadour"