JON MULLANE - review added 14th July 2010
Album Review: Shift (2010)
For fans of: Rock... and fine releases
Jon Mullane is a singer, songwriter and multi instrumentalist from Halifax in Nova Scotia, Canada. New album Shift follows his 2007 release The Source.
The album is a project built by Jon and former Harem Scarem drummer Creighton Doane. Jon and Creighton co-wrote the majority of the songs and played most of the instruments. Creighton's former band mate Pete Lesperance pops up on occasional guitars, and Kathryn Rose adds backing vocals. Shift was produced by Creighton, and recorded at DL Audio in Toronto and Dreamland Studio in Halifax.
The result is quite a surprise. Given the cast list, I expected a (perhaps) inferior take on the typical Harem Scarem sound. The album actually bares little or no similarity to the work of Harry Hess et al. Shift is a modern sounding, confidant, upbeat rock album that's as radio and chart friendly as any rock album you are ever likely to hear. Some of these songs have been doing the rounds on the airwaves for a couple of years now, and it really is easy to hear why.
Every song offers something to hang onto, be it the so-good-they-included-it-twice 'Make You Move', the bouncy 'Got It Goin' On', the ever-so-slightly darker 'Sin City', the dancy 'Missing Time', the seriously cool 'You Get What You Get', the slushy 'The One That Got Away', the understated indie charms of 'Change Your Life', the really catchy 'Go The Distance, and the big shout-along 'Here We Go'. This is a very consistent album with lots of repeat-play-potential.
Overall, Shift is a very easy album to like, although it's all a tad safe and definitely a monster track or two away from immortality. There's no doubting what Jon Mullane and Creighton Doane have created here is a fine album with bags of feel good energy.
Check out... All of it.
Track List:
01 - Make You Move
02 - Got It Goin' On
03 - Sin City
04 - Missing Time
05 - You Get What You Get
06 - The One That Got Away
07 - Change Your Life
08 - Go The Distance
09 - Here We Go
10 - Make You Move (Move Mix)
Label: Escape Music
Artist's website(s): Jon Mullane | MySpace | Facebook
