Just read many of the early reviews of The Sadies’ new record, "New Seasons" and one could quickly compile a laundry list of the names of musicial influences that will make your head spin. Of course, that’s what the Sadies do so well--weave diverse musical influences into a seamless whole and make it look easy. I could tally up yet another list of musical influences and play the game of spot the musical influence but that detracts from just enjoying the record.
I like this album because it sounds great. The guitars ring, chime and twang in all the right places. The Sadies now even sing harmonies on several tracks. Gary Louris’s production is top notch, as he allows the Sadies to play their distinctive brand of alternative outlaw country rock with subtly added pop textures. I mention pop textures because when one clears away the scads of "cool" musical references, there is solid pop at the core of "New Seasons". I hear strains of the Outlaws' "Green Grass and High Tides" on "What’s Left Behind". I also hear the unforgettable instrumental melody of Kansas’s folk ode, "Dust in the Wind" on "Anna Leigh", and I hear the spooky re-verbed guitars of Fleetwood Mac’s "Oh Well Pts. 1 & 2" on "The Last Inquisition (pt.V)". So didn't I just name drop...yes but not the bands that one hears when one reads about the Sadies in the "hip" magazines and the trendy reviews. I hear strong pop melodies in The Sadies’ new songs. The Sadies have pulled off quite the skillful feat, since they shroud their latest record in all sorts of weird garage band sounds yet at the heart of their tales of ecological disaster and human despair is a rock solid pop record of the kind that was made in the 1960's and 1970's by such artists as, The Byrds, Pink Floyd, Fleetwood Mac, and Creedence Clearwater Revival and Gordon Lightfoot...just to name a few "pop"-sters. Too square or dated for you? Well for all of their musical attempts to capture the far-out sounds of the then new acid-drenched consciousness that erupted in the summer of love, bands like The Byrds, Pink Floyd, and Fleetwood Mac, grounded their musical trips in road tested country, in rock and blues back beats, pop vocal harmonies and in hooky guitar licks.
This record is a trip, but don’t be fooled by all of the critics who are eagerly falling all over themselves spewing out the names of as many obscure musical influences that they can "hear" on "New Seasons". The Sadies are too smart a band to just splatter musical paint around randomly and without purpose. No, our Sadies finally have mixed the perfect blend of pop, rock and country and created a fragile yet sturdy pop masterpiece that you can dance to and think about. Yes, The Sadies are good because they have brought pop sensibilities to alternative country without compromising their unique sound and distinctively Canadian vision one bit. Mother nature’s in trouble and men shall face an ultimate judgment someday, but for now just sit back and groove on the coolest music this side of the border.