Canadian Music in Review

SteveK on Wintersleep and Colorsound–

Canadian Music in Review

SteveK on Wintersleep and Colorsound

Colorsound: A New Feeling (EP)

Normally I don’t do EP reviews; I hate the format, even when it’s an EP from an established artist that I like.  However, sometimes an EP is just meant to be reviewed.  Sluggish email tubes and dodgy Canadian Postal Service meant that I literally only found out about Colorsound’s intro, ‘A New Feeling’ a few days ago.  After an email exchange with the band’s manager I finally got access to the tracks.  Given the effort made to get this one to me, I owed it to everyone involved to listen to it.  I liked it enough to review it, as well!

Regular readers know that I’ve often said Montreal produces some of the best music nobody listens to; this city is brimming with unknown, underrated and simply awesome bands.  Up and coming Electro Pop act Colorsound is no exception to this rule.

While I am ambiguous to Electro-Pop as a genre, I can appreciate it when it is done as well as it is here.  Colorsound’s instrumentation is well layered and capably produced.  The lyrics are appropriately romantic, somewhat innocuous and radio-friendly; vocally they fall somewhere between Simple Plan and Metro Station; It’s a little candy-corn but you know what?  That’s all right too every now and again.

Coming in at 5 songs ‘A New Feeling’ is a little hard to use as a barometer for the band; this sounds like 4 top 40 singles and one “serious album” song; good music but a sampler.  I’d like to hear more if only to get a better reading.  As they’re working on material for a debut full-length it’ll be interesting to hear where they go.  They could do some great New-New-Wave or Factory Glam sounding stuff and really surprise me, or even just produce more of the same Electro Pop and I’d be okay with it.  From what I’ve heard they’re good at what they do.  Time will tell if good can be great.

Colorsound: A New Feeling (EP)

Independent

Steve’s Rating 8/10

Wintersleep: The New Inheritors

Classic Canadian Rock at its best.  There’s just no other way to describe Wintersleep as a band.  Following the success of ‘Welcome To The Night Sky’, ‘New Inheritors’ is a capable entry; subdued vocals, Bluesy, bleak and trippy guitar work and a languid, mellow vibe infuse the album.  Clever, contemplative lyrics rife with brilliant and unconventional imagery flesh out this album’s soul.

The album opens with “Experience the Jewel”, a song evocative of the greats of Canada’s Rock pantheon, and then alternates between subdued Rock intensity and mellow, Blues-driven ethereal Rock tunes.

Have they topped album #3 or have they plateaued?  It’s too soon to tell; on the strength of this album, however, I can say that Wintersleep are certainly at their best.

Wintersleep: The New Inheritors

Sonic

Steve’s Rating: 9/10

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