Hailing from Canada, Campfire Sigh is the collective songwriting talents of Grant Posser, Cody Valentonis and Nate Jacobucci and Different Peninsulas was released on 16/09/2022.
This is a very interesting and colourful album that really does jump from one genre to the next and does so with such ease that you never know what the next track is going to deal you. If I were to list all the genres that this album jumps from and to I would be here all day, but this covers anything from classic rock, to blues, to funk, to soul, to psychedelia and literally everything in between.
There are three different vocals used on the album, each taking their own tracks, and although very different in styles, they are also all remarkably alike. This is in no way a bad thing and gives the album stability and conciseness all the way through. The backup vocals provided by the members of the band NOT singing lead vocals are harmonious and fit perfectly with the lead, giving the album complexity and diverseness.
The musicianship on this album is spot on. The guitars are sometimes so laid back they are almost falling over, but at other times are pretty full on, giving the album a rock feel at times.
The basslines emitting from behind the guitars are funky and are a prominent feature throughout the whole album. I’ve always thought a bass guitar should be heard a lot more in music (probably due to the fact my son is a bass player…or was!) but groovy basslines always make me move when I hear them.
The drumming is great, keeping time and pace throughout the album perfectly. The use of other instruments such as the alto saxophone, baritone saxophone, trombone, trumpet, and alto, bass, tenor and soprano recorders, as well as penny whistles(!) bring in streaks of jazz and soul to an already crowded sound.
Synthesizer beats and sounds also provide a bit of a nostalgic feel back to the 80’s, while the vocal style provides elements of folk and alternative too.
This album certainly keeps the listener engaged and interested as there is always something going on to listen to and the pace and timing of the album also contributes to this, each song having a different tempo to the previous.
Campfire Sigh have a very quirky and eclectic sound that might not appeal to everyone but that is the beauty of music isn’t it? The world would be a boring place if we all liked the same music!
This is a laid-back album that would sound great on a hazy summer’s evening sat around a fire with a beer in hand, the music carrying you away from the hustle and bustle that is life! The album has a very progressive feel too and this is reflected in the technicalities and length of some of the tracks.
This album is not usually the sort of thing I would go for but I actually did like it. Its an album that can show you that what you know and love is not always just what’s out there!
Please go and check out this album and drop the guys a like or two on their social medias.
Rock meets jazz meets psychedelia meets the Beach Boys! What more could you ask for?
Track Listing:
1 What A World We Live In / Flight Of The Anchovies
2 Junebugs / Tin Whistle Theme
3 Whispers From The Dream
4 Jagged
5 Dollar Store Hippies
6 Rotting Away
7 Nothing We Can Do
8 Beach Of Teeth
9 Lucid Snowglobe
10 Correct Century
11 Headless Grasshopper
12 Counterfeit Mystic / Bite Mark Comparison Techniques
13 We Arn’t Captured (We’re Gone)
14 Memories Of Childhood: Featuring Sleep paralysis, UFO, Hornet Attack, And A Dog
This review is purely the property of The Metal Asylum