There’s still more to come, but here’s a list of the Sweet Georgia Breezes’ Tracks of the Decade so far (in no particular order). What do you think of the list? What are your top 5 or 10 tracks of the decade?
Nathan was one of those bands I stumbled upon this decade that make it all worthwhile. They don’t really seem to have made any kind of impact outside of their native Canada, but that makes it a little bit sweeter to cheerlead for them on the American front. Considering the overall quality of their 2007 release KEY PRINCIPLES, it’s difficult to name any one song a standout, but “The Wind” manages to whip the basest musical elements into a kind of numinous cyclone that I haven’t heard since that one band recorded “Street Spirit.” Keri Latimer and Shelley Marshall weave sublime harmonies around Latimer’s spell-binding lyrics while the instruments frame the song in wide-open reverie, theremin blowing through the banjo like wind through wheat. While “The Wind” features powerfully vivid standalone lyrics, Latimer’s greatest achievement is her masterful phrasing. Lines like “I know that I’ll regret it/But I think I’m gonna let it in” transcend space and time here. Overall, “The Wind” first strikes the senses like a storm rolling in on the desolate plains of Montana, and then leaves you haunted like a creaking floorboard in a quiet house. Was anyone really there? “The Wind” is great because it sings from beyond, the dreadful sorrows of the unknown vying for our attention.
“The Wind”
by Nathan
from KEY PRINCIPLES (2007)
Nathan was one of those bands I stumbled upon this decade that make it all worthwhile. They don’t really seem to have made any kind of impact outside of their native Canada, but that makes it a little bit sweeter to cheerlead for them on the American front. Considering the overall quality of their 2007 release KEY PRINCIPLES, it’s difficult to name any one song a standout, but “The Wind” manages to whip the basest musical elements into a kind of numinous cyclone that I haven’t heard since that one band recorded “Street Spirit.” Keri Latimer and Shelley Marshall weave sublime harmonies around Latimer’s spell-binding lyrics while the instruments frame the song in wide-open reverie, theremin blowing through the banjo like wind through wheat. While “The Wind” features powerfully vivid standalone lyrics, Latimer’s greatest achievement is her masterful phrasing. Lines like “I know that I’ll regret it/But I think I’m gonna let it in” transcend space and time here. Overall, “The Wind” first strikes the senses like a storm rolling in on the desolate plains of Montana, and then leaves you haunted like a creaking floorboard in a quiet house. It’ll leave you wondering, “Was anyone really there?”
SGB is a music review blog. I keep it short and to the point. I mostly cover rock, usually of the indie, classic, or punk variety. All readers are encouraged to respond to my reviews with approval, dissent, etc. You think I missed something about a record? Speak ya mind!
Initial Reactions (2012) Ratings System
A: Impressive. Among the year's best. B: Decent. May be a grower. C: Blah. Another brick in the wall. D: Offends, grates, and/or bores. F: Monumentally bad. Imagine if Justin Beiber fronted Creed.