It has been almost three years since Toronto’s art/folk/punk rocker’s The Constantines compelled Indie audiences to collectively pump there hands in celebration of a new album. With all of this wait fan’s must be wondering, “Was it worth it”? The answer is … kind of.
The Constantines forth lp Kensington Heights makes its trip to the US by way of the Arts and Crafts record label. Most Indie fans know this label through Canadian all-star pop group Broken Social Scene and since The Constantines’ old label Three Gut shut down, Arts and Crafts has picked up the logistics.
Kensington Heights makes its first strike with the furious but restrained “Hard Feelings”. Long time listeners will probably be a little disappointed here as this is the weakest intro to a Constantines album to date. Fear not loyal fans, the album has much stronger moments. Particularly toward the middle of the album listeners are treated with the slow and sweet song “Time Can Be Overcome”. The song rocks from side, pushed by band leader Bryan Webb’s soulful vocals. Immediately afterward, The Constantines crash down with the 7/4 downbeat driven “Brother Run Them Down”. Staying consistent in its power rock theme, the song invokes a feeling of triumph in simplicity. Fans of The Constantines older material might enjoy “Million Star Hotel”. The song has a large open chorus with the guitars and organs sharing melodic duties with bass and crash cymbals hammering downbeats into the bands collective space. The Constantines return to more blues influence, a la Shine A Light, in “Million Star Hotel”. The song feels tired and frustrated, on purpose, with disconnected rhythms and straining vocals. It is perhaps one of the more memorable rock moments of the album. The album concludes with noisy gospel “Do What You Can Do”. The song moves the audience with its simple praises reinforced with heavily distorted guitars.
For fans of The Constantines this album may be a disappointment. The band has traded the rough choruses spelling out “o-v-e-r-d-o-s-e” to a focus on a single male lead. The new folk direction isn’t as powerful or as moving as the soul-punk (yes I said it) of its predecessors. Fans should pick this one up however. It is good enough to be a Constantines album. Newer fans might want to start with the self titled however.
Genre: Punk/Indie/Folk
RIYL: Colour Revolt, Fugazi, Bruce Springstee, Neil Young
Label: Arts and Crafts
Shower Of Stones
This album starts off really strong and then fades a little towards the end. There are some knockout songs on this thing though. I think the comment “It is good enough to be a Constantines album” sums up my feelings perfectly.
A half-assed (comparatively) Constantines record rates higher than a lot of other whole-assed efforts in my books.
Pretty much. I still listen to it a lot. I just hope that someday they’ll return to the raw intensity of some of their first albums.
i thought their last record was on sub pop? and i still think this is one of the best rock bands of the new millennium. up there with the national.
Three Gut was the band’s Canadian label. Sub Pop handled the US. I assume Arts And Crafts does both now.
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