Poor Canada. We Yankees just can't seem to give them a break. It's always "aboot" this and "ice hockey" that. And then there's the whole mullet thing, not to mention French Canada. Hell, even the English speaking portions spell check with a "q."

But in actuality, Canadians seem to have their shit together much better than the people running the United States. They have free healthcare, low crime rates and some of the best music to come out of the Northern Hemisphere in a long time. In British Columbia, Hot Hot Heat and The Red Light Sting are tearing it up NAFTA-style, while Toronto bands like Stars and Broken Social Scene are winning over hipsters in droves.

And then there are The Constantines, who trump every other Northern band in sheer volume. The Cons' self-titled debut was an impressive collection, combining punk rock with Bry Webb's soulful vocal style. Most accounts said they sounded like Bruce Springsteen singing Fugazi songs. And for the most part, that was a pretty accurate statement.

The Constantines new album, Shine a Light turns the dial a notch to the right, changing the band's sound from loud to fucking loud. The opening track, "National Hum," charges at the listener like a wild moose, as vocalist Bry Webb shouts "More and more neglected hands/judgment ripe, they're starting bands" as an anthem to the punk rockers.

The title track is where the band shines, no pun intended (okay, pun intended). Some feedback opens the song, which leads into a rolling bass and kick drum groove. Guitars chime in, building tension, but right when it seems like things are going to go apeshit, the wacky Ontarians ease into a jazzy verse. The third time around, however, the chords played in the verse become loud and ominous, much the opposite of how they began.

The first single, "Nighttime Anytime (It's Alright)" is a peculiar choice for a radio track, as there's no clear-cut chorus, and it's certainly not the catchiest song on the album. But it rocks — `nuff said. The following track, "Insectivora," is a badass ode to the apocalypse and subsisting on a diet of earthworms and houseflies. During the chorus, the guitars create a screechy wall for bass and saxophone to climb over. This could be the best track on the album.

But so could "Goodbye Baby and Amen," a bluesy slow-burner that won't immediately pummel you. But good luck picking your jaw up off the floor after you're done listening to it.

On "Young Lions" and "On to You," the Springsteen comparisons ring true, as the band plays E Street Band and Webb sings about "wild ones" and "wild boys" in a way only a Jersey native could. Yet these two tracks almost don't fit in here, which makes them even more intriguing.

The Constantines do their country proud with Shine a Light. Maybe with less worry spent on saving for college and finding a good health plan, there's more time up there for bands to kick ass.

Similar Albums:
Cursive - Domestica
Fugazi - The Argument
Q and Not U - No Kill No Beep Beep

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Jeff Terich
03.23.2004