[rating=7.00]
After twenty years playing together, The Sadies aren’t showing any signs of slowing down. Northern Passages, the tenth studio album by the Toronto alt-country quartet, is an eclectic collection of roots rock that builds on its predecessors while incorporating influences from the various artists with whom the band has recently recorded.
“Riverview Fog” opens the album with an appropriately murky feeling, densely swirling steel guitar strings clouding the fingerpicked acoustic guitar. Co-vocalists Dallas and Travis Good sing what seems to be a letter to a once-close friend, reminiscing about old times. “Through a blue foggy haze, I’ll bet you miss it, too, but I know that you’re where you need to be, out in the country,” they sing.
After “Riverview Fog” eases listeners into the album with the sonic equivalent of a contemplative stroll through the countryside, the first notes of “Another Season Again” establish a more abrasive tone. It is the album’s most aggressive track, its distorted rock riffing and propulsive beat contrasting Dallas and Travis’s western-style intertwining vocal harmonies. It is country rock with a garage attitude, Mike Belitsky’s pounding drum fills adding extra attitude to Good’s fuzzed-out guitar licks.
Throughout Northern Passages, The Sadies tread between the two extremes, the loud, crunching guitars of “There Are No Words” contrasting the breezy western strumming of “The Good Years.” Songs like “Through Strange Eyes” stand out for their ability to deftly combine contrasting styles. Most of the track sounds like an upbeat western shuffle, though occasional outbursts of loud, crackling guitar distortion break through the otherwise serene sound.
Likewise, “The Elements Song” is the album’s most ambitious and complex track, mixing different time signatures, rock guitars and country strumming, and morbid lyrics. After delivering a bleak outlook on life, complete with dark religious imagery for good measure, the brothers Good feign nonchalance. “There’s no need to despair. If you don’t see it, it’s not there,” they mutter.
Kurt Vile provides the lead vocals on the most melodic and catchy number, “It’s Easy (Like Walking).” His voice a rapid-fire, half-spoken delivery, Vile sings of the monotonous nature of constant touring. “My left hand’s got a permanent air guitar tick, but don’t confuse it for a crutch,” Vile sings.
As the tenth Sadies album, Northern Passages incorporates the distinct sound that the band has spent two decades honing but doesn’t feel like a rehash of earlier work. It shows a band that is comfortable with experimentation but knows not to stray too far away from its niche.
