Tireless Sedans - Parts + Labour EP
2009, Superbob Records/SOCAN
I've always felt a sort of vague enmity flowing out of Moncton, New Brunswick. It all goes back to my childhood days as a fan of the (then) Adirondack Red Wings of the American Hockey League. Games against the Moncton Hawks always seemed to go badly, with lots of fights and Majors, Match Majors and Game Misconducts always coming in the way of victory. The Wings left Glens Falls, NY many years ago, but that vague sense of unease has remained. I am happy to say that the Tireless Sedans have given me something positive to think of when I ponder Moncton. Their debut, Parts + Labour EP, is a pleasurable alt-country/rock mix with some quirky personality traits.
The musicality of Wilco is there, with the depth and jangle of Sloan, and a bit of unusual song construction ala Ed Robertson. Singer/songwriter/guitarist Dave Rahmer is supported by a strong cast of fellow musicians. Mark McGinnis keeps it lively and thriving on skins and whatever else falls into his hands while Chad Lifford helps to nail down the rhythmic heart of the band. Jenna Gallant brings a vintage guitar sound to the band while kicking in some great background vocals. The EP opens with Old Home Town Pain, a song about returning home with the figurative tail between your legs, and finding out it perhaps wasn't as bad as you'd always thought, yet not what you'd hope. Alberta is a quirky whine set to a killer guitar riff about a relationship gone bad.
Stretch is aptly named. Thus far on Parts + Labour Tireless Sedans have shown strong musicianship and songwriting, but on Stretch Rahmer shows an ability to craft lyrics that are not only intelligent and clear but also subtle and profound. The chorus is perhaps a bit predictable, but the verses show some real creative spark as a word smith. Even The Sheep is a wonderfully quirky guitar oriented bit of Americana/Rock with an early Chicago-Style horn section thrown in. This is the most sonically interesting piece on the CD, playing around with progressive song construction and some interesting guitar fill work playing tag with the vocal line. Foreword serves as an instrumental introduction to Can't Move Forward, which has the energy and melody to be a Lo-Fi pop/country single.
Parts + Labour EP is a strong introduction to Tireless Sedans. Rahmer and crew show real promise as a band, crafting alt-country nuggets that will have you hitting re-play many times over. Between the strong musical lines and intelligent lyrics lay a spark of magic that is neither describable nor forgettable. They're not flashy, but Tireless Sedans will get inside your head.
Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)
You can learn more about Tireless Sedans at www.myspace.com/tirelesssedans or http://www.superbob.ca/. Parts + Labour does not appear to be currently available on line, so keep checking their Tireless Sedans’ MySpace page.
2009, Superbob Records/SOCAN
I've always felt a sort of vague enmity flowing out of Moncton, New Brunswick. It all goes back to my childhood days as a fan of the (then) Adirondack Red Wings of the American Hockey League. Games against the Moncton Hawks always seemed to go badly, with lots of fights and Majors, Match Majors and Game Misconducts always coming in the way of victory. The Wings left Glens Falls, NY many years ago, but that vague sense of unease has remained. I am happy to say that the Tireless Sedans have given me something positive to think of when I ponder Moncton. Their debut, Parts + Labour EP, is a pleasurable alt-country/rock mix with some quirky personality traits.
The musicality of Wilco is there, with the depth and jangle of Sloan, and a bit of unusual song construction ala Ed Robertson. Singer/songwriter/guitarist Dave Rahmer is supported by a strong cast of fellow musicians. Mark McGinnis keeps it lively and thriving on skins and whatever else falls into his hands while Chad Lifford helps to nail down the rhythmic heart of the band. Jenna Gallant brings a vintage guitar sound to the band while kicking in some great background vocals. The EP opens with Old Home Town Pain, a song about returning home with the figurative tail between your legs, and finding out it perhaps wasn't as bad as you'd always thought, yet not what you'd hope. Alberta is a quirky whine set to a killer guitar riff about a relationship gone bad.
Stretch is aptly named. Thus far on Parts + Labour Tireless Sedans have shown strong musicianship and songwriting, but on Stretch Rahmer shows an ability to craft lyrics that are not only intelligent and clear but also subtle and profound. The chorus is perhaps a bit predictable, but the verses show some real creative spark as a word smith. Even The Sheep is a wonderfully quirky guitar oriented bit of Americana/Rock with an early Chicago-Style horn section thrown in. This is the most sonically interesting piece on the CD, playing around with progressive song construction and some interesting guitar fill work playing tag with the vocal line. Foreword serves as an instrumental introduction to Can't Move Forward, which has the energy and melody to be a Lo-Fi pop/country single.
Parts + Labour EP is a strong introduction to Tireless Sedans. Rahmer and crew show real promise as a band, crafting alt-country nuggets that will have you hitting re-play many times over. Between the strong musical lines and intelligent lyrics lay a spark of magic that is neither describable nor forgettable. They're not flashy, but Tireless Sedans will get inside your head.
Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)
You can learn more about Tireless Sedans at www.myspace.com/tirelesssedans or http://www.superbob.ca/. Parts + Labour does not appear to be currently available on line, so keep checking their Tireless Sedans’ MySpace page.
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2 comments:
Thanks for the great review!
Parts + Labour is available on CD here and iTunes.
Can we all agree on one thing at least?? That this article is reallllly well developed! I write the word developed, not written. Simply because anybody can write stuff, but rather to develop an article takes research and knowledge about a product. This review is great and I for one take information from here and am Definitely going to apply it to my next purchase. You've supplied me with enough ammo to know exactly what I should be looking for in the market trend. Well, until then.. Ciao'!
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