David Myles

On this sophomore effort, Myles has assembled a who’s who of the Halifax scene for an unorthodox approach to what could have been standard singer/songwriter fare. He keeps things on the mellow side mostly, building songs from his finger-picked acoustic guitar and hushed vocals. But subtle contributions from the likes of former Superfriendz mates Matt Murphy and Charles Austin, along with Jill Barber, pedal steel guitarist Dale Murray, and Myles’ own trumpet give Things Have Changed a smoky darkness reminiscent of early Tom Waits. It’s no surprise that Myles has worked with Buck 65 either, as there is something faintly similar in their storytelling abilities. In other places, Myles simply displays a knack for laying down a bluesy, laidback groove reminiscent of J.J. Cale, which thankfully blows away some of the fog at the right moments. And like Cale’s work, Things Have Changed is probably best absorbed after midnight when the album’s intricacy can be fully appreciated.