High Ends

Super Class

BY Alan RantaPublished Oct 7, 2014

7
With the renowned Yukon Blonde on a break between albums, frontman Jeff Innes used his spare time to branch out with a solo project. He basically wrote Super Class himself, then set up shop in producer Colin Stewart's home studio and invited his friends Darcy Hancock (Ladyhawk), Kathryn Calder, Jeffrey Mitchelmore (Gold & Youth) and Louise Burns along for the ride. The difference between High Ends and Yukon Blonde is similar to the difference between Infinite Light and Fantasy by fellow Vancouverites Lightning Dust, smoothly transitioning from a highly evolved indie rock sound to laid-back analogue synth-pop.

Occasionally, it's a little too on-the-nose, like "I'm Gonna Keep on Dancing," but the songwriting and arrangements are generally superb, even on the entirely instrumental downtempo track "River Cruise." The basic structures remain fairly consistent within each track, but new sounds are layered in such a way as to maintain upwards momentum without rocking the boat; Innes always finds a way to make the choruses cook. These songs are so polished and dynamic that, to paraphrase George Harrison, they should outlive the style in which they were recorded.
(Dine Alone)

Latest Coverage