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“Time Capsule” is the first career spanning compilation from The Trews, Canada’s hardest working band. You’ll never get consensus on the track listing for a “best of” disc, but “Time Capsule” comes awfully close to being perfect. Sequenced in chronological order with three new tracks sprinkled throughout, the album takes you through the highlights of their career, from 2003’s “Not Ready to Go” to three tracks from 2014’s self titled record, and of course the new songs.
The album actually starts with a new track, “Lotta Work/Little Love”, a hard rocking track that starts with a grandiose ‘Pink Floyd’s The Wall’ vibe before morphing into a 70’s hard rock groove that reminds me a little of Monster Truck.
“Beautiful and Tragic” is totally in line with the sound of their latest album, with a slightly more polished gloss. But it still sounds like classic Trews; in fact, I’d be willing to bet it’ll be included the next time they do a compilation album. The disc also uses the previously unheard studio version of “Sing Your Heart Out” instead of the live acoustic version from “Friend & Total Strangers”, offering a new take on a concert favourite.
The album ends with another new track, “Chinese Kites”, a song that takes “Beautiful and Tragic”‘s slick sounding arrangements a step further. Is this a sign that The Trews have a pop rock album in them? Time will tell if this is a link to their next full album. But in the meantime, if you haven’t gotten into The Trews yet, this is as good a chance as any to discover one of the best Canadian rock bands of all time. Yes, of all time. And the new tracks make it worthwhile for long time fans too.
Track Listing
Time Capsule/Lotta Work/Little Love (new song)
Not Ready to Go
Tired of Waiting
So She’s Leaving
Yearning
Poor Ol’Broken Hearted Me
Ishmael & Maggie
Hold Me in Your Arms
Paranoid Freak
Man of Two Minds
I Can’t Stop Laughing
Sing Your Heart Out (unreleased studio recording)
Beautiful and Tragic (new song)
Highway of Heroes
Hope & Ruin
The Power of Positive Drinking
In the Morning
What’s Fair is Fair
Rise in the Wake
Chinese Kites (new song)
He's also a regular contributor at the excellent news site Montreal Rampage
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