Categories : Music Reviews, Rock + Pop.
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Rating: 3.5/5 Released: February 22, 2005 Reviewer: David Coats |
La De Da is the first official solo record by Joel Plaskett, another Halifax musician who proves that the Nova Scotia city is arguably the epicenter of the current Canadian rock scene. Recorded in Arizona at the invitation of a fan who offered free studio time, La De Da is a stripped down record – intimate and charmingly rough around the edges in its songwriting, musicianship (especially the vocal delivery), and production. This all makes for an inviting finished product, artistically self-assured while lyrically addressing the ironic humor of everyday living and the uncertainty raised by the pursuit of self-awareness. Standout songs such as Absentminded Melody, Love This Town and the best, Happen Now, are all acoustic in performance, providing an interesting, if at times frustratingly restrained, alternative to the heavier work of the Joel Plaskett Emergency. However, too many other songs (Lying On A Beach, Television Set) tend to suffer for their lack of strong melodies.
What ultimately holds the record together, however, is Plaskett’s lyrics, balancing the insightful (“The only thing worse than growing up is never quite learning howâ€) with the humorously immature (especially his recollection of a bad performance in Kelowna). While clearly still realizing his potential and exploring his musical possibilities, La De Da is a fine effort that should cement Plaskett’s place on the national charts for years to come.
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