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For his latest release this much-respected Canadian musician offers up 13 tracks of typically timeless and cerebral rock music. With an experimental spirit present throughout it is, perversely, the moments when electronica makes an appearance that the songs sound a little dated, take the warbling synth intro for ‘Beautiful Goodbye’ as one of very few examples. Otherwise, Guinness’ style is centred on songs of emotional depth and economical arrangement but with an epic vibe courtesy of solid, unfussy rhythms and multi-layered instrumentation. Further points of interest are frequently added, including a middle eastern organ riff for ‘Rising River’, the Eleanor Rigby strings for ‘The One That Got Away’ or the symphonic keyboard rush for ‘Negative’, which recalls Cardiacs’ ‘Big Ship’ and is the most up-tempo track on offer.
These elements coagulate to produce a sound that combines that of mid-career Porcupine Tree with latter day Pink Floyd and, improbably perhaps, the more ambitious leanings of Norwegian pop scoundrels A-ha (due in no small part to Guinness sporadic vocal resemblance to Morton Harkett). The Floyd influence is the most obvious however, within the languid tempos and restless lead guitar work in particular, as well as for the Great Gig in the Sky caterwaul heard toward the end of the title track.
Now all this may sound like an accusation of mediocrity to some, but the truth is that ‘Cure For The Common Crush’ is easy listening in the healthiest way possible; if you like rock music then this is the perfect antidote to a head-mashing dose of hardcore. It’s an album of intelligent, wholly listenable songs and, in heart-warming duet ‘The Joke’, it provides a song that in another life would give U2’s ‘One’ a run for it’s tear-soaked money.
RICHARD STOKOE
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