Black Lungs

It’s been a long time since Alexisonfire’s Wade MacNeil made two songs from his solo project, Black Lungs, available online. Whether it was apprehension about following in the footsteps of fellow guitarist Dallas Green’s solo success or preoccupation with his primary band, a full album has only now surfaced. So, was it worth the wait? Not quite. Despite the tracks "In Memory” and "Fire and Brimstone” showing strong promise during their initial release, like most songs on Send Flowers, the production goes overboard. Wade MacNeil’s already grim and gruff vocals could have done without the extra effects — they’re left stripped of emotion and out of place with band mate Sammi Boglanski’s simple but effective piano playing. The recipe was right for MacNeil and Boglanski to create something unique with their mixture of punk, folk and rock, but it was too obviously over-thought. With the eeriness of "Fire and Brimstone” making it the standout track on the album despite the changes from its previous incarnation, one can’t help but wonder what would have happened had this album been recorded and released along with those first tracks.