Reviews

Octoberman

Run From Safety

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Review Date: 2007-11-07

It's clear they didn't set out to recreate the wheel, but there's something smooth and pleasant about Octoberman and their debut LP, Run From Safety, that makes it endearing and enjoyable at the same time.

Hailing from Vancouver, BC., Marc Morrissette (lead vocals, guitar), Peter Doig (guitar), Graham Christofferson (bass), Jason Starnes (keyboards) and Rob Josephson (drums) offer a mix of traditional indie rock with a flair for blues and melancholia that's well blended and sounds great, for the most part.

Octoberman don't break much new ground, but at the same point they've produced an album with half a dozen solid tracks -- and nothing, clearly, that comes off being overly saccharin or bombastic.

Some of the songs on the album fall into that familiar memory-hole of indie rock music that I define as "forgettable mediocrity." Clear examples of this are seen with tracks "Once in a Blue," "Elbow Room," "Cisco Kid," and "No Qualms." It's not that these songs are bad -- the guitar riffs on "No Qualms" are quite catchy, but while there are good fragments as a whole the songs don't add up to a recommendation.

That being said, the remaining tracks are something that receive my critical thumbs up.

"By the Wayside" has a steady rock beat, complete with a mid-song tempo shift that's a pleasant surprise and with a rockin' chorus at the end. Accompanied by Morrisette's smooth singing and lyrics, it didn't set me on fire but did leave me kindling for more.

The eponymous "Run from Safety," is a true stand out track for this disc. The bluesy sound and harmonica add atmosphere to a song about going home and nostalgia. It's got a neo-country vibe to it -- in that it's not whiny, but mournful and sad. Quite well done.

While going through track by track would waste time -- and accomplish little -- one last song deserves mention -- "Breath of Sunshine," mainly for its lyrics. It's another melancholy number, but I like the line: "Why can't we get past these dollars signs? I can't see why we'd want to live like this."

I usually walk into a new CD expecting very little and being surprised at what I find. Octoberman exceeded these expectations and left me wanting for more. Just more proof that some of the best music in the world is made right here in Canada.

When's the next album, guys?

Score: 7.5

- Kyle Rea