THE WICKED SIDE OF ME
Cold Driven
Indie
9-out-of-10
Time seems to fly by when dealing with indie bands, even the best of them.
Cold Driven is an example. It does not seem like it was three years ago that I was first introduced to this band with its release of Steel Chambers, a disk that warranted an 8.5-out-of-10 in a June 4, 2008 review.
Local fans might remember the band from a gig at Rayzer's in the Yorkton Hotel when that venue was doing live music before local apathy killed the bar's interest in supporting traveling bands.
Now nearly exactly three years later the B.C.based band is back with The Wicked Side of Me.
The good news is that Cold Driven does not miss a step with the new disk, although with only six songs and a short intro you are left wanting more.
Of course if the disk had a dozen songs, and they were all as good as the six here, you'd wish there was more.
The band includes brothers Billy and Dennis Nickell and Ben and Shane Bouthillier and Jeremy McLachlan. The five piece unit allows for a big, full band, straight ahead rock sound, which is a comforting place to be for this listener.
From the opening Kingdom Come, or through all six songs Cold Driven does not miss a beat.
The title cut is simply great rock, albeit with a definite melancholy atmosphere. It will feed a certain mood for certain.
Now That I'm Gone is another strong cut on a disk with no weak spot.
Overall this is a CD that should be owned.
Check it out at www.colddriven.com
- CALVIN DANIELS
SELF-TITLED
Morgan Cameron Ross
Indie
6.5-out-of-10
This is the solo debut for Morgan Cameron Ross, although he has been on the music scene for awhile as the lead for Toronto's Birds of Wales the past half dozen years.
As a solo effort Ross is able to provide a more varied, individualistic sound, something he does with such relish the overall cohesiveness of the disk is compromised.
My Brother Went To Prison has a sort of Celtic feel. It could easily be picked up by John McDermott and fit him perfectly.
Then Ross gives us 13C, a new-age country style song. It's actually one of the better cuts here, although thematically it seems out of place.
In general though this is a sort of pop, soft rock effort, which has a hard time rising to the point of being memorable.
Every Mile and Passing Year, Storybook Romance and Hey There Darlin are examples. If you like the mellow, soft rock sound you may well find Ross' effort solid.
If not you may wish to pass.
Check him out at www.morgancameronross.com
- CALVIN DANIELS
Past reviews are archived online at http://calmardan.blogspot.com/
