Greg Keelor
Last Winter
(Warner Music Canada)
4/5
Last Winter, the fifth solo release from Blue Rodeo founding member Greg Keelor, has flown in a bit under the radar. The four-song EP combines a new and different sound with the haunting and familiar vocals that helped weave Blue Rodeo into our collective memories.
Melodic, ambient, and at times even meditative, Last Winter is definitely a solo project; the country-rock sounds of Blue Rodeo are on the shelf for now. Keelor has paired up with multi-instrumentalist Jim Bowskill (of Sheepdogs fame) to put together a highly emotional collection of songs.
The lead track, “Gord’s Tune,” touches on the experience of The Tragically Hip’s final show at Toronto, and the bravery displayed by the late frontman Gord Downie. The EP holds the listener’s attention throughout, which is no easy feat, as each of the four tracks surpasses eight minutes in length.
Last Winter is a finely crafted mix of ethereal strings and hypnotic melodies that lives up to the expectations that accompany a Canadian icon into the studio.
-Fred Cameron