Days Into Years

This album is fantastic; the most refined and cohesive they have recorded so far. Inspired by a visit to World War I battlefields, this album is not political or even anti-war. It is just capturing the emotions and experiences of the young men who went off to fight and die. There are a couple dark, melancholy songs, but also a few more up-beat and hopeful, like "Northern Air" and "If I Get Old." I've been listening to these guys for a few years now and was eagerly waiting for this album and was not at all disappointed. It shows that they as a band are perfecting their style and putting out some of the best folk-rock there is. It is also great to see them do a concept album, although many of the songs are abstract enough that it doesn't necessarily seem that way to the casual listener. Great music!

Toronto band Elliott Brood's music is dark and twangy often drawing comparisons to bands like 16 Horsepower, Deer Tick, and Mumford and Sons. With the surge of southern revival acoustic music dominating the current indie music scene, I'm saddened that Elliott Brood hasn't been able to break big here in the U.S., as they are a real force in the Canadian music scene. I first heard their song "Lindsay" last year on the sampler 'The Paper Bag Sessions Vol. 1,' and immediately wanted to hear more of their music. So, I found the rest of their 'Paperbag Sessions' on YouTube (which I would highly recommend for anyone who's curious about the band), and was completely hooked from then on.

Having purchased all of their albums now, I've spent the last few months listening to the band almost non-stop, so I can unequivocally say that their latest effort Days Into Years is their most consistent and polished album to date. The album was inspired by the band's travels through World War I battlefields and cemetaries in Europe, so it's no surprise that the lyrics are a bit brooding at times (pardon the pun), but the music is always upbeat and energetic - even on the slower tunes. While Days Into Years has lost some of the "rough around the edges" charm of their earlier albums, they make up for it with better production value, laid-back lyrical confidence, and a more mature sound.

I saw them live last month in a small club in D.C. and they put on an incredible show, despite performing for a fairly small audience. If you dig alt-country or indie folk, then buy a copy of this album for yourself and your friends - they'll thank you for it!

Top Tracks: Lindsay, Lines, Northern Air, and My Mother's Side

These Canadians remind me of Neil Young and Crazy Horse, circa 1970. Their music shows some influence from Country Western (United States), using banjos and slide guitars. But perhaps their music reflects Neil Young's lead guitar work. I especially like three of the ten songs on this CD/album. I went to college in the mid-1970's, but I listened most closely to music 1969-1972. Maybe I delude myself when I hear modern music which sounds like that from 1970. My one criticism is that I can't hear the lyrics of some of the songs. The CD has liner notes which has the lyrics for "If I Get Old," one of my favorite songs.