Blogcritics is an online magazine, a community of writers and = readers=20 from around the globe.

REVIEW

Music Review: twelve34 - The Only Cure

Written by Scott=20 Deitche
Published March 27, 2008

=20

See also:
=BB Concert = Review:=20 Bruce Springsteen - Columbus, Ohio, March 24, 2008
=BB Music = Review: Top=20 50 Albums of 2007 Pt. IV (11-20)
=BB Interview:= Band of=20 the Week - The Dollyrots

It seems like all the great bands are coming out of Canada = nowadays. =20 From The New Pornographers to Broken Social Scene, to Kate Rogers, = there=92s a=20 prodigious amount of talent in the Great White North that has been = trickling=20 stateside for the past few years.

But while most of the new music has been indie rock-oriented, little = love has=20 been thrown to the classic arena rock sounds of bands like Loverboy, = Toronto, or=20 April Wine. Well, a band out of Ottawa has been churning out some = catchy,=20 crunchy, melodic rock for the past few years and has just released a new = album. Though a Loverboy comparison is a bit of a stretch, = twelve34 have=20 their feet firmly planted in straight-ahead, arena-tinged rock.Twelve 34 = have=20 established themselves as a live act not-to-miss across the frozen = tundra of=85=20 well, the urban club scene of Canada=92s biggest cities. They were = formed in=20 2003 by lead singer Jasen Colson, Dave Doran, Chris Amos, and brothers = Eric and=20 Jay St-Cyr. The Only Cure is the band=92s first full-length = effort.

Cure is a tightly-packed collection of rock with a serious = melodic=20 flair. The song =93Too Damn Late=94 surges through a midtempo = backbeat and=20 catchy chorus, emerging as one of the most accessible songs on the = CD. The=20 song also serves as a good barometer of the production. The = guitars are=20 sharp, with a nice vocal mix. The drums come alive, keeping a = garage/demo=20 feel without sounding like mud. =93Firecracker=94 has a little = goofy chorus=20 but a strong verse line. =93The Only Cure=94 is the strongest = track on the=20 collection, sharp edges with a memorable chorus that sticks to your = brain like=20 maple syrup to moose-hunting boots. The ballad =93Melanie=94 = features guest=20 vocals from Mandee Woods. The female component elevates the song = above the=20 median.But it=92s not all accolades for the band. The lyrics are = somewhat=20 pedestrian (When the bass starts pumpin=92/the drums start thumpin=92), = taking away=20 some of the punch. As mentioned before the production is = surprisingly=20 good, but the vocals seem flat at times.

All-in-all, this is a solid effort. While the band has a ways = to go=20 before it can claim a spot at the forefront of a new classic rock = revival from=20 Canada, they=92re a lot better than Helix on their best day.The CD is = available=20 online at their label's=20 website.

Scott M. Deitche is an environmental scientist by = profession.=20 He also writes on the Mafia, including the books Cigar City Mafia, A = Complete=20 History of the Tampa Underworld (2004), and The Silent Don: The = Criminal=20 Underworld of Santo Trafficante Jr. (2007).

Keep reading for information and comments on this = article, and=20 add some feedback of your own!

Buy=20 from 3DAmazon.com=20

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Music Review: twelve34 - The Only Cure=20: Published: March 27, 2008=20; Type: Review=20; Section: Music=20; Filed Under: Music:= =20 Rock; Writer: Scott Deitche=20; Scott = Deitche's BC=20 Writer page=20; Scott Deitche's personal = site=20

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