10 DAY POEM FOR SASKATCHEWANThe Warped 45sIndie8-out-of-10The Warped 45s come out of Ontario with a rock sound heavily influenced by Americana-folk, the result being a very easy to listen to sound.
Yorkton music fans will have the opportunity to learn that for themselves if they head down to The Spot June 25, as the five-piece band is booked into the local venue.
The band's CD 10 Day Poem for Saskatchewan, a near five-minute cut which is the lead-in song on the disk, is a great effort.
There are 13-songs on the disk, and frankly they are all very solid rock efforts with a style which reminds a bit of some of the best CDs from the Eagles.
The music has a rock sensibility in terms of how the 45s approach things, but they let folk control the lyrics.
The combination results in well-written songs with a solid beat to keep the listener tapping toes to the music, while digging into to the vocals to here the stories laid out through the lyrics.
As far as top cuts, it's hard not to point to the title based on its Saskatchewan ties. However, there are a number of good songs here. Leader of the Lost Expedition, Two Month Old Apologies and Why Oh Why are a few to pay a little extra attention too.
A definite must.
Check them out at http://thewarped45s.com/wordpress/- CALVIN DANIELSBELGRAVIA HOTELBirds of WalesSparks Music9-out-of-10When you see a band which states on its MySpace page it is from Toronto and Vancouver, and then lists its music as indie / folk rock / regional Mexican you immediately wonder exactly what you might be listening too.
Well folks you get a rather intriguing musical sound, and you hear that immediately with the opening song My Lady In July. It's a love song that I know belongs to those special women out there, like my wife Dixie. Yes a selfless plug, but she deserves it. We men often don't tell them that enough. I know that is the case with me, and this is a little something for the special lady.
But back to Belgravia Hotel. The music is often moving, and the vocals of Morgan Cameron Ross are powerful in the level of emotion he puts into songs such as Uninteresting, another beautiful song from the Birds of Wales.
Actually the Birds have a knack for lyrics which are filled with love and heart-tugging lyrics. Winter Reminds Me of You is another song which could be an anthem for love lost.
Cameron Ross is the songwriter too, and it's a sure bet he loved, lost and felt the lost deeply -- we all seem to end up there sometime -- and he captured it in this song.
Emotionally the Birds of Wales do ask the listener to invest, but then again that is what good music is supposed to do.
Belgravia Hotel is for rainy days, and the longing of love. For such occasions it's perfect.Check them out www.birdsofwales.com- CALVIN DANIELS Past reviews are archived online at http://calmardan.blogspot.com/
