Great Bloomers
Distant Fires
(Dine Alone Records)
4/5
For an album full of songs about love, Great Bloomers sure do cover a variety of depressing subjects on sophomore album Distant Fires. In fact, these five Toronto-based, pop-influenced, folk rockers seem to have a lot on their minds as they explore the darker sides of love through the course these eleven songs.
Most songs, for example, “Pale Morning Strangers,” “Fear Will Make A Fool Of You,” and “Sunday Clothes,” all stick with the mellow, somewhat morose vibe that is fitting to the subject of the songs. However, some songs, such as “Something More” and “I Wanna Die Young,” which tells the story of a guy whose relationship, which was full of love, has ended, and now feels as though he would be content to die, conceals the somewhat glum topic with a positive, upbeat tune.
All of the songs provide strong lyrics backed up by quality music, demonstrated by a great guitar solo on “Slowly In Your Gaze,” and some awesome piano in “The Fire Burns Strong.” Every song on this album engages the listener and is able to draw out emotions in an undeniably poetic fashion.
-Lucas Milroy
Mother Mother
The Sticks
(Last Gang Records)
4.5/5
The fourth album from Vancouver’s much-talked-about indie rockers Mother Mother might just have something to please everyone in a family.
But the question is this: will that eclectic flavour be a blessing or a curse?
Let’s start with the youngest one first: my three-year-old loves the first single, “Let’s Fall In Love.” With catchy lyrics like “Mommy did it, Daddy did it, funny little monkeys in the zoo do it,” it’s easy for him to sing along to.
My wife loves the potty-mouthed Beatles feel of “Dread In My Heart.” But she can’t seem to put her finger on what Mother Mother’s sound is and she’s turned off by the Spacehog-esque “Businessman.”
On the title track, Mother Mother show off their staple unconventional lyrics and effortless harmoniesÉ and then very obviously show off some of their musical influences from both yesterday and today.
As for me, I think the question that really begs asking is this: what’s not to love?
-Dan Darling