By Lindsay Christ

Folk music is not usually a genre that gets much attention from the mainstream music scene. This is unfortunate, and something that hopefully might change in the near future. The possible catalyst of this recovery is the Listening Party, a indie-folk band that hails from Shawnigan Lake, British Columbia, Canada. Their sophomore album “Who are we missing?” is certainly an album with which to be reckoned, despite the band’s virtual anonymity. Their record label, Kill Devil Hills Records, is as unheard-of as the band themselves, a small, independent label that only represents four bands, which, unfortunately, might hamper the bands’ publicity and exposure.

The band gets the name of the album from the third track “Boy Scouts Honour,” in which they ask the question “Who are we missing?” repeatedly during the chorus. While this song is good, with a catchy beat and easy to remember lyrics, it is certainly not the strongest of the record.

“Who are we missing?” starts out strong with “Through the Trees,” a song that has traces of Hot Hot Heat influence with a folk overtone. The next track “Before the Night,” sounds very much like the first, beginning with a pulsating drum solo and has catchy “whoas” and “ohs” scattered throughout the tune.

The most poignant song on the record is “Sang and Sea,” hands down. Although it is only a little over a minute long, the band sorrowfully croons of a man who leaves behind his life and family and doesn’t come back. Though it is not quite clear whether he has gone off to war, went to attain a better job opportunity or has just left on his own accord, it heart-wrenchingly tells of the pain felt by the family he has left behind. The tender lyrics and melancholy music evoke strong emotions from listeners.

“Tema De La Quebrada De Humahuaca” is a truly innovative track, purely instrumental apart from for a moaning chant that plays in the background. While the majority of the album is well put together, it does have its low points. “Sweet Roseanna” is the big disappointment of the album: a song that drones on and seems to be confused in a terrible mix of folk, country and grunge genres. “Oh my,” one of the last songs on the album, is a strong track, but unfortunately it goes on too long at five minutes and thirteen seconds, turning what would have been a solid song into a overdone one.

The Listening Party has produced an original and compelling album that will hopefully catch the attention of listeners. It is an album that brings folk into the 21st century and puts it back on the map of contemporary music.

killdevilhillsrecords.com.jpg

killdevilhillsrecords.com.jpg (killdevilhillsrecords.com)