Favourite Colours

With the surf influences and wobbly garage-style edges gradually fading from their musical personality, the Sadies are starting to sound like some unlikely but welcome collaboration between the Clarence White-era Byrds and Moby Grape during one of their periodic twangy moods. Favourite Colours (gotta love the Canadian way with the language) keeps the group's country influences in the forefront, but with a cool and atmospheric cast that lends a moody depth to even the most upbeat songs, not unlike the work of their American compatriots the Volebeats. The interlocked guitars of Dallas Good and Travis Good are in stellar form here, with acrobatic fast pickin' facing off against gloriously sustained bent notes, and the brothers and their partners are singing a great deal more this time out, to fine effect (especially on "Translucent Sparrow," "1000 Cities Falling," and "A Good Flying Day"). A few guests have also been brought along for this set, among them Joey Burns of Calexico (who adds stings to "The Curdled Journey"), Robyn Hitchcock (who sings the lyrics he wrote for "Why Would Anybody Live Here"), and Dallas and Travis' parents (who lend vocals and autoharp to "A Burning Snowman"), though with the exception of Hitchcock (whose personality is strong enough to outweigh the band) they mesh seamlessly with the band's aural character rather than calling attention to themselves. Favourite Colours is lovely and adventurous stuff that proves the Sadies are only getting better with each trip into the studio.