I have been a big fan of Alberta Cross (AC) from the moment I got a promo of their debut full length album about three years ago. I also liked their EP they released last year as it upped my expectations for this forthcoming album. One song from that EP made it onto this album and it is the catchy Money For the Weekend. After the first couple of spins I can hear a more positive sound on this album compared to the previous one. There is also more use of acoustic instruments, giving the album a more organic feel. So the album feels and sounds more like the “Thief and the Heartbreaker” EP which was more acoustic.
The album starts off with the great song Magnolia, a pretty slow song with a nice summer feel to it. Crate of Gold could have been taken from the previous album as could Ophelia On My Mind. One song that carries that lighter vibe is Wasteland, a nice up-tempo song with a catchy chorus. I Believe in Everything has some nice foot stomps and hand claps. Just like the previous album they end it with a slow song, this time it is called Bonfires. Petter Erickson Staake sings with a voice that my brother says is quite similar to Angus Stone and I can put that in as a reference when it comes to the vocals.
Overall, this album is just as good as the previous one, although it is a bit different. But some bands do evolve and AC have done so without changing their concept too much. This album will be a big part of my summer soundtrack and I must say that I prefer this band over, say, Kings of Leon, My Morning Jacket and similar bands. I like this very much, you would probably too if you gave it a chance. This is a nice slab of rootsy folk rock from a, still, underrated band.
Gary Lightbody from Snow Patrol has a side project called The Reindeer Section, a supergroup comprising members of famous Scottish bands including Astrid, Belle & Sebastian, Idlewild, Teenage Fanclub and Mogwai. They have released two albums to date on the Belfast label Bright Star.
