The Arkells!

If you have been reading this blog for a time, even just occasionally, you may have run across my post about a Canadian band Charlemagne I had fallen in love with. Well, a few legal troubles and bit of good luck later, they're now called the Arkells and are still going strong. They've released their first major record on Dine Alone Records (in October...sorry for being so behind) and it sounds great. The songs are still incredible and there's a new energy and sheen to the music (energy good, sheen still undecided).

I love the inclusion of the standards I had grown to love, even humming them months after listening, and the new songs are just as strong. There are Springsteen caliber anthems, The Edge guitar riffs, and incredible everyman vocals. I love his vocals because I can sing along easily. He has that Dr. Dog thing where he's not quite singing, not quite screaming (sometimes).

The final song, Blueprint, used to send shivers down my spine by the slave song-esque opening. On the record, it jumps right in which is unfortunate but they still nailed the song. Can these guys do no wrong? Go buy this record!