By Mike Tofin
You’ve been away, encased in your studies. University and metropolitan life has left you feeling simply detached. You pull into the driveway and return to the environment that compelled you to leave in the first place. Your Uncle Greg greets you with a warm hug and a greasy whisker rub. The embrace breaks, and before you sit down you have a cold beer in your hand. You nestle in, absorb the sites and the sounds, crack some suds, and next thing you know, you’re home.
Homes, Jon and Roy’s latest release, plays on this phenomenon. Upon first listen, you’re unsure of what you are getting into, especially considering the bands previous two releases, Sittin’ Back and Another Noon. However, the swaggering sounds of Vancouver Island start to sink in, revealing a new found maturity. The musicianship soon becomes obvious through the slide guitar and fiddle, striking chords in the heart of the listener. Immediate highlights include “Boon Elm” for its pure musicianship, and “Body’s Warm”, for its “bop, bop, boom,” where Jon Middleton clearly finds the right groove.
Over all, this album is a beauty. The artistry is alarming and clearly unmediated, thanks to the lack of record label involvement with this release. The sound is clear and the musicianship is tight, soaking with tremendous consistency.