It always worries me when an album is named for one of the tracks featured. It suggests that this is the only really decent track on the album. And that's where it wants to direct our attention. More on that later.
Third place in Canadian Idol isn't exactly the most convincing, attention grabbing headline on your CV. Especially when you want to succeed as a credible rock / pop star.
But
Billy Klippert was no wannabe. With his brother and his band he'd gigged around Alberta for many years, looking for that breakthrough moment. When CI1 came along, he took it.
On his second album, Klippert has collaborated with respected Canadian Indie producer, Matt DeMatteo. Together they've aimed to cover all the bases. It's a genuine smorgasbord of sound, and it's spread pretty thin in places, but in the main there's enough substance to satisfy the hungriest of rock and pop appetites.
There's the
Nickelback like contemporary rock of '
Wretched Thing'. A track full of angsty vocals, scratchy rhythms and drizabone riffs. Actually, it's really rather good.
'Overload' begins life like some new country high plains drifter who subsequently stumbles through the urban sprawl of contemporary rock, meeting up with Our Lady Peace en route.
Opener,
'Going Under' and '
Killing Me' both pick up on the hard edged melodic rock of fellow countrymen, Harem Scarem. Big guitars, inviting hooks and go-for-the-jugular vocals. Great songs.
Elsewhere, the tuneful acoustics and skipping beats of
'Jenny', a bittersweet story of starry eyed despair jibes with the Weezer-esque power pop perfection and tuneful sonic wallop of the title track
, 'Naked And The Simple Truth'.
Lyrically, Klippert is too often the outsider looking in for the songs to truly engage on a personal level, with perhaps a couple of exceptions.
The confessional '
Hold On', a reflection on fame and '
She Comes In Waves', a romantic drug song - if there can be such a thing - full of swelling strings and twanging guitars, and heavy on atmosphere. Both reminiscent of the style on Tal Bachman's fabulous last album release,
'Staring Down The Sun'. High concept pop music for the masses.
The album's sheer variation may put some people off, but anyone who's willing to take a chance will be well satisfied.
Written by
Brian Thursday, July 12, 2007
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