5.27.2011

CD REVIEW: Sam Roberts Band "Collider"

Collider (Amazon MP3 Exclusive Version)
Sam Roberts Band has come full circle in their career with the release of their latest album. This album is the band's best since their major label debut "We Were Born In A Flame" and contains the band's best song since "Brother Down." That song is "The Last Crusade" and it leads off an album that, from front to back, is a study in sonic artistry and lyrical mastery. Enlisting the assistance of an established saxaphone player (Antibalas' Stuart Bogie) and percussionist (Califone's Ben Massarrella), Sam and company deliver songs that are as rockin' as ever. The addition of the additional musicians brings sounds into the mix that are unfamiliar to SRB fans, but elevates their already unique sound and adds an incredible element of funkiness. Quite possibly their most funk filled song ever, "Let It In" just plain makes you want to dance. "I Feel You" is the song on the album that bridges their entire career, showcasing their rock core, and the aside from the lead track, "Streets Of Heaven (Promises, Promises)" is possibly the best on the album from a lyrical standpoint. They did things differently while making this album, and the end result is an elevated version of a familiar sound. Sam Roberts Band has returned their music to a youthful yet mature form, and it shows just why these Canadians continue to blow fans away.