Saturday, March 24, 2012

The Counters - This Doesn't Mean We're Friends


When I received this album with text mentioning Power Pop and Country, I have to admit I was somewhat dubious but as always, when anyone takes the time to send me anything, I listened to it and yes, it is country and yes it is power pop, not mixed but on seperate tracks!
Album opener, "When You Come round" is as perfect power pop as you could wish for as an opening track, this is followed hot on the heels by  "Please don't say" which is undeniably country but they sit next to each other in harmony and when you start to breakdown Power Pop, it has the roots of many music styles wrapped in melody and jangly guitars, so why not embrace the two on one album.  This works. ICM.

 This Doesn’t Mean We’re Friends is the debut album from The Counters, a London, Ontario group made up of local singer-songwriter Rupert Heath and 9 guest musicians. Half the album draws on the inspiration of classic powerpop-inflected bands like the Beatles, the Byrds and Big Star. The other half is under the spell of classic country, folk and singer-songwriters like Hank Williams, Willie Nelson, Nick Drake and Richard Thompson. But The Counters are their own beast. This Doesn’t Mean We’re Friends is a long-player which takes sharp turns, uncovers a few new leaves, and bears little resemblance to anything else coming out of London (or anywhere else) this year. The album was recorded and mixed by London legend Andy Magoffin at the House of Miracles studio, and features some of the city’s best musicians including members of local live aces The Mongrels, ex B-Girl drummer Marcy Saddy and fiddle wizard Martin Horak (the latter mostly recently to be heard on London artist Graham Nicholas’s solo debut Bury Me Under The Dancefloor). Harris Newman mastered.

 Listen to and purchase the album with a name your price price tag at Bandcamp 

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