New Seasons

Canada’s Sadies play American alt.country with a soft-spoken determination that gives their tunes an understated elegance and a solid, no-nonsense approach that’s never compromised by freaky effects or sudden, inappropriate juxtapositions of sound. Credit ex-Jayhawk Gary Louris for his restraint; he captures the band as natural as can be. The group’s seventh studio album, 2007’s New Seasons, recalls major country-rock artists from the Byrds to the Long Ryders without sounding like them, but rather continuing in their grand tradition. “Anna Leigh” and “The Trial” immediately stand out as eerie narratives set amongst Western prairie motifs, as the spaghetti western / Duane Eddy guitar-styled leads take over from the tight and dry harmonies. “My Heart of Wood” again mines a dark, old country sound before “A Simple Aspiration” sends the group through the shimmering haze of psychedelia with its garage-rock inspired guitar leads and slightly lysergic-styled harmonies. To the very end, New Seasons keeps on chooglin’ with pleasant surprises (“Wolf Tones” is an atmospheric instrumental, “The Land Between” adds some striking guitar tones) that add subtle colors to this sepia-toned dust bowl world.