Canadian rockers release new CD

REVOLUTION PER MINUTE
Big Sugar
Bread and Butter Records
8.5-out-of-10

Big Sugar were pretty much synonymous with Canadian rock for a decade starting with a self-titled album back in 1992.

From there Big Sugar was a prolific band rolling out a bunch of hit records, all infused with a blues-influenced rock, albums such as Five Hundred Pounds, Hemi-Vision, Heated and Hit and Run the last to be released in 2003 followed.

The band members then went their separate ways, and Big Sugar appeared to be a band remembered only in history.

Then in 2010 a call came and lead singer Gordie Johnson said he felt "enough time had passed," that it was "an excuse to call the guys."

While not expecting it, Johnson said "everybody jumped at it It kind of caught me off guard."

So Big Sugar came back together, and the result was Revolution Per Minute.

"It's our first record in 10-years," Johnson told this reviewer in a recent telephone interview from Texas. He added the disk "was never part of the larger scheme of things." He said the band had had a long run, but had called it quits. "We had kind of stuck to that for a long time."

As a musician Johnson said creating a new disk was a must for Big Sugar.

"We love the old songs and love playing them in the shows for the fans, but to keep it valid we wanted new music."

Johnson said in his own case he has other bands he plays with, so he doesn't need Big Sugar, unless it remains a fresh and vital vehicle through new music.

If a band is just playing their old music day in and day out "it becomes shift work, and I check out," said Johnson.

The latest album continues the evolution of Big Sugar, said Johnson.

"Listen to Big Sugar's catalogue, no two records sound the same. We've evolved," he said, adding that at the same time" when you put it on, you instantly recognize it as Big Sugar."

Johnson said the new disk follows Big Sugar's evolution.

"We kind of picked up the story and kept on telling it," he said, "I think it's a good companion piece (to previous releases)."

The result of the story being continued is a Big Sugar disk which may have a bit more of a reggae heart than earlier works, like on Un-Employed Expert, but it's still overall has rock and blues as a foundation.

There is some electronica going on here too. You can hear it on the opening of Counterfeit Wings, which is one of the best cuts on the 12-song effort.

If you fondly recall Big Sugar there is reason to rejoice with their return and for Revolution Per Minute.

If the name Big Sugar is new to you, then this disk is an excellent way to become aware of what a veteran band like this can do in the recording studio.

Check it out at www.bigsugar.com

- CALVIN DANIELS

NO BAD DAYS
Wide Mouth Mason
Bread and Butter Records
7.5-out-of-10

Saskatchewan music fans will be familiar with Wide Mouth Mason. The launched its recording career in 1996 with The Nazarene, which was followed by almost annual releases until 2005 which saw a Greatest Hits package hit the streets.

Only two more disks followed until the recent release of No Bad Days.

Through the years the trio has seen a line-up change. Today Wide Mouth Mason is Shaun Verreault, lead vocals and guitar, Safwan Javed on vocals and drums, with Gordie Johnson - best known as the lead of Big Sugar - is on board to play bass and add vocals too.

Fans will recall Earl Pereira started with the trio on bass and backing vocals back in the mid-90s.

The band says it likes the result of their most recent effort.

"We've called the record 'No Bad Days' because it perfectly describes the experience we had making it", said singer/ guitarist Shaun Verreault on the band's website at www.widemouthmason.com. "We worked on our third record, 'Stew' with Gordie as producer. When we decided to make a more organic 'live off the floor' kind of record, we knew he was 'That Guy' and we couldn't be more excited about the results!"

Johnson too likes the results of the approach taken.

"The band's collective influences really came together on No Bad Days," said producer/ bassist Gordie Johnson on the website, "you can hear everything from The Allman Brothers to the Isley Brothers."

Overall No Bad Days is a solid return to recording for Wide Mouth Mason with songs such as Drive, More Of It, Go Tell It To The Waterfall, and Listen Sister the best of the batch.

This is a strong return for Wide Mouth Mason and certainly a disk worth a listen.

- CALVIN DANIELS



Past reviews are archived online at http://calmardan.blogspot.com/