Constantines "Kensington Heights" Arts and Crafts Sounds like: Music for a cross-country road trip in your rusted convertible.
Last year, the Constantines' "Soon Enough" single was featured on "One Tree Hill 3: The Road Trip," a sound track to the popular show. Quasi-indie fans of the sound track will be surprised by the Constantines' latest album "Kensington Heights," which steps away from the aforementioned teen soap's sappy roots and digs deeper into its musical musings.
True to their Ontario roots, "Kensington Heights" is named after the trendy hippy neighborhood of Toronto. The album offers as much diversity as the historic hotspot does.
It hits hard with tracks like "Hard Feelings" and "Trans Canada," while streaming into softer and more honest ballads like "I Will Not Sing A Hateful Song" and "New King."
The band has been compared to the greats of Bruce Springsteen and the Guess Who - so it's no wonder the band members have learned to diversify. While "Kensington Heights" may not be the next "Born to Run," it offers at the very least a little spice to the current music scene. The rhythms are pleasing and lead singer Bry Webb's voice is soulful.
Plain and simple, the album is humble yet powerful. It channels some of the best old-Canadian rock sounds with a fresh perspective. Ballads remain the bands strength, which may be why "Soon Enough" showed up on the playlists of those wearing skinny jeans and Converse sneakers.
Don't trust me? See for yourself - the Constantines will be at the Rock 'n Roll Hotel April 21.
