Tummysuckle

Review by P. Freako

It's been over a decade of indie rawk from these Toronto indie icons, but the wind blows on and it blows strong, carrying with it Tummysuckle, Change of Heart's debut release on Virgin Records. Let's not beat around the shrubbery -- this is a fantastic musical offering. I can't stop playing it. Lead singer and guitarist Ian Blurton takes us on an offbeat voyage through musical changes and mood swings, through a rawky guitar-filled land where poppy riffs lay dead on the side of the highway reeking like month old roadkill.

Tummysuckle is a heavier album than the band's previous offering, Smile. There's no rest between songs and the production is up front and in your loins. It's a complete album layered into one artistic creation instead of merely being a collection of songs. I like that -- sadly, radio doesn't. But if modern radio is truly changing to reflect modern music then it will be Change of Heart's turn to receive some deserved airplay. "Trigger," a fast-paced anti-corporate song, is the best bet for the airwaves, but who cares as long as something gets played, because this album is solid, from Gord Downie's introduction, to the eighteen-minute "Hawkwind"-esque space opera finale, "Mardi Gras Bringdown." "Circle of Seasons," "Away Goodbye," and "Herstory" are immediate standout songs, but as you play it over and over -- and you will! -- everything will stand out. You'll start to realize that, like the album cover, this is an explosive creation filled with nuances woven in through the talented musicianship of Ian Blurton, Bernard Maiezza, John Borra, and John Richardson. Go buy it and stick it in your player as soon as you can, but be warned... it may not come back out.