Press
Review: Flicker and Fade, 3rd Coast Music
Published in 3rd Coast Music
By JC
February 8, 2015
Most months, I have some idea of how the upcoming FAR chart is going to look, hell, I've been at it long enough, but some months the reporting DJs spring a surprise on me, and for the December chart, that surprise was Calgary’s Scott MacLeod at #4, the more so as it wasn’t just Canadian jocks who got behind the alt country singer-songwriter.
Not sure if, in our world, the concept of ‘breakout’ album really applies, but reading between the lines of his local reviews, it seems fairly clear that his fourth album is a major step up from its predecessors. This may be down to MacLeod himself evolving as an artist, and going to a new producer may simply be part of that evolution, but at any rate Steve Loree, who also played guitar, does a first rate job, sometimes reminding me strongly of Chris Rival’s iron fist in a velvet glove work with Eilen Jewell and Les Sampou, other times reminding one that he used to be in Jr Gone Wild. Not being familiar with MacLeod’s earlier albums, I don’t know if the masterful phrasing is a result of this collaboration, but it certainly adds subtle dimension to already fine songs.
JC
