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Clair

Long Road Home

(The Cougar Label; US: 3 Jun 2008; UK: Available as import)

Fronted by Lindsay Sullivan, this New York band brings to mind the combination of Neko Case fronting 10,000 Maniacs. The ambling pop of “Every Day (I Walk Over, I Walk On)” also contains a subtle Beatles flavor at its core. Most of the time however Sullivan seems to be channeling Sheryl Crow on the tender “I Went Walking” but resembles a swinging version of the New Pornographers on the poppy “Baby, If You Ever”. Probably the first true highlight is the short and excitingly chipper “Gun to My Head, Dust in My Hair”. The slower “Christine” shows a reflective, waltz-like side to the band which is another asset. The band touches on several genres easily, including the folks Lilith Fair-like “Hatchets” that could have been stolen from Jewel’s back pocket.

Rating:

Originally from Cape Breton, MacNeil is currently writing for the Toronto Sun as well as other publications, including All Music Guide, Billboard.com, NME.com, Country Standard Time, Skope Magazine, Chart Magazine, Glide, Ft. Myers Magazine and Celtic Heritage. A graduate of the University of King's College, MacNeil currently resides in Toronto. He has interviewed hundreds of acts ranging from Metallica and AC/DC to Daniel Lanois and Smokey Robinson. MacNeil (modestly referred to as King J to friends), a diehard Philadelphia Flyers fan, has seen the Rolling Stones in a club setting, thereby knowing he will rest in peace at some point down the road. Oh, and he writes for PopMatters.com.


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