CD Review: Radically Poetic by DREAMS OF REASON

Canadian artists seem to be the focus of a lot of attention these days but most bands still fall into the unsung hero category. Take Canadian bands like the new reunited TEA PARTY or BIG SUGAR. Both are icons in their home nation. Both have fanatical followings at home yet neither has captured major State-side acclaim. Pop-rockers, NICKELBACK have been able to break the Canadian curse with multi-platinum record sales in the US, but the majority of Canadian artists toil in obscurity.

Enter Calgary, Alberta’s DREAMS OF REASON. Uh, ya, who right? The band is a smash hit within its own enclave. Its shows manage to attract drunken hooligans, aloof college students and white haired senior citizens to a spectacle that gets larger every time the band plays.

RADICALLY POETIC'S 12 tracks feature world class musicianship and high production values, courtesy of Greg Hampton (Alice Cooper / Lita Ford). What really stands out on Radically Poetic is the song-writing. Unlike much of today’s “rock music”, DREAMS OF REASON truly are a rock band that manages to sound new while sticking to tradition. Favouring simple arrangements and very few vocal harmonies, the band throws it all down on the line, delivering a believable performance that is beautiful even during its most crushing moments. The arrangements are as close to perfect as things get, while the choruses are generally memorable but could feature a little more pay-off.

Like their major influences, the STONE TEMPLE PILOTS, Dreams of Reason are hard to classify. Songs like “Hunting” and “New Low” serve up classic METALLICA style metal with tribal and world music undertones. The power ballad “Surrender” rocks out like early psychedelic era VERVE on steroids. Throw in the eccentric rhythm and middle eastern modalities of “Show You Need” with the reggae tinged “Everything Ordinary” and you’ve got a pretty strange brew that somehow manages to sound like one band. It’s as if Dreams of Reason managed to harness the song-writing consciousness of bands like the BEATLES or NIRVANA, melding it with instrumental virtuosity.

Radically Poetic is the sound a young band getting its feet wet. There are moments where the performances could convey a deeper sense of passion, but this a minor flaw on a great debut. Although not radically inventive, Dreams of Reason could breathe life into a rock genre that seems content to repeat itself. I'd really like to see the band unleash its virtuosity and go for it on their next outing.

Overall Impression: 4.0 out of 5.0