The Strumbellas: My Father and the Hunter

Independent

This Toronto via Lindsay On septet’s debut album puts them right in the front rank of the post-Elliott Brood roots rockers. Granted it’s a shade more countrified, even bluegrassy than EB but like all the bands in this sub-genre, they bring the stomp to the hoedown.

There’s hollerin’, gangbuster choruses with that country thang and fleet-fingered fretwork aplenty.

So tracks like floor filling "Underneath a Mountain" and "Left for Dead”, utilising all those elements which make the band a live attraction, are to be expected.

Not so much are the poignant “Diane” and “The Bird That Follows Me”, on which the crew tone down the boogie and rely on nuance.

Still and all, The Strumbellas know what brought them to the party and Simon Ward’s touch with the good bluegrassy rock hooks are never far away and all over “Rhinestone” and “The Sheriff”.

One little thing; The Strumbellas love of playing together just jumps off the album. Consequently, while the songs address the genre’s trad subject matter such as sin, redemption, loving, losing, death and near-death, the execution too often trumps the content of certain songs.

The Strumbellas play a CD release show at The Rivoli in Toronto tonight (February 17th).

James Lizzard