Band: Entire Cities
Album: I Hope You Never Come Home
Shot of choice: Simon Borer says, “Consensus: anything! Except for those of us who are friends of Bill W. For them, cranberry juice!”
Entire Cities is a Toronto-based band boasting 7+ members. The band is made up of Simon Borer (vocals, guitar), Andrew Bartle (drums), Ruhee Dewji (flute, saxophone, vocals), David Missio (guitar, harmonica), Paul Sorensen (bass), and Jimmy Rose (guitar, lap steel), with some additional members that have made either live or recorded appearances, including co-producer Tamara Lindeman. Entire Cities released their sophomore full-length I Hope You Never Come Home, which was produced by Heather Kirby (Ohbijou), at the end of 2010.
This 10-song album is full of rich texturing, making full use of the roster of multi-instrumentalists that this collective boasts. I tend to be slightly weary of bands with a lot of members, wondering how much they contribute to the songs, but the layers are discernible. The album starts off with “Bruise Black,” the song that carries the lyrics that are the namesake of the album. It’s a mellower start, but then the album continues to dive into loud, alt country tunes that really showcase the size of the band. Frontman Borer’s voice commands the songs, as he sings with an undeniable passion, but there is an added softness with moving harmonies from his female counterparts, which I particularly love on “Gimme a Ride” and “Oh Dear, Oh Dear, Oh Dear.” Plus the latter song incorporates an almost bluesy feel alongside that standout organ and skilful guitar work.
I find the strengths of the album lie at the beginning and the end. “Zombie Song (Dream Logic)” starts out loud, but then hits you with a time-change, and then there is such softness before launching right back into calculated noise. That calm before the storm is what makes this song a favourite on the album. The album ends with “Predator Song,” a short, raw acoustic tune that really allows you to appreciate the vocals and lyricism. Overall, it’s an excellent release that has carried them into 2011 and will hopefully see a lot of shows.
The album can be streamed for free or purchased digitally here.
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