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CD Reviews

Neil Halstead

Tyler Bradford
Culture Editor

Sleeping On Roads
(4AD)

Heartbreak is often a beautiful thing. It isn’t at the time of
_.course; you're filled with heartache, sorrow and self-pity. In
retrospect, however, after a breakup is typically one of the most
productive times for artists. Such is the case with Mojave 3 front-
man Neil Halstead’s first solo release, Sleeping On Roads.
Written while couch-surfing after a harsh breakup, the album is
gorgeously full of pain, sadness and the hopefulness of starting
over.

While his songwriting and lyrical style remains similar to past
albums, Halstead has discarded Mojave 3’s country-tinged dusty
steel guitar and replaced it with cello and muted trumpet. The
result is a lush soundscape that has you drifting in mellowed-out
euphoria as you contemplate the deeper meaning of Halstead’s
introspective lyrics.

On "Hi-Lo and Inbetween" Halstead’s honey-coated vocals
float, offering up beautiful lyrics such as the opening line: "One
day it just snowed | guess/and they closed the roads into your
heart." What kind of cruel woman could hurt someone so sweet?

Other standout tracks include the bittersweet lullaby "Martha’
Mantra (For The Pain)" with its soft strumming and melancholy
lyrics and "Driving With Bert" with its beautiful trumpet opening
and settles into alternating rhythm, glockenspiel and sing-along
chorus.

Oliver Schroer

Tyler Bradford
Culture Editor

Restless Urban Primitive
(Big Dog Music)

Canadian fiddler/composer/producer Oliver Schroer has been
nominated for a Juno in the past. His recent release, Restless Urban
Primitive, won't be nominated for anything, except for perhaps worst
CD of the year.

This 20-track train wreck is a self-serving piece of artistic
indulgence, which hides itself as a "journey—both interior and
exterior." It doesn’t matter what you veil this shit with, it’s painful to the
ears. The CD opens with tracks that sound like Schroer is
busy tuning his fiddle and the droning sounds continue for the rest of
the CD.

While artistic vision is important, artists need to realize that if they
are releasing the CD as a commercial product, it needs to have some
appeal outside their attic or basement. Schroer apparently doesn’t
understand this by releasing a CD only his mother could love.

Oliver Schroer will be appearing at this year’s Vancouver Folk Festival.
You'll be able to tell by the people running away covering their ears.

 

Neil on the beach.

While Neil Halstead has long been considered a major song
writing talent, due to his output as the lynchpin of Mojave 3 and
Slowdive, but with Sleeping On Roads he takes a further
step-up demonstrating his talent for lyrics, vocals and guitar as
much as songcraft and arrangement.

 

 

 

The “Restless Urban Primitive” himself.

Leen