Kevin Kane

It’s always been unusual how low a profile Kevin Kane has had since the drawn-out demise of the Grapes Of Wrath in 2001. With only one previous solo album, the extremely subdued Neighbourhood Watch, he seemed content to have his one-time position as Vancouver’s leading power pop auteur usurped by Carl Newman. Now, finally, there’s How To Build A Lighthouse, a true return to form with instantly infectious melodies wrapped up in spacey, psych-tinged arrangements. While Kane’s voice shows no signs of age, there is a noticeable darkness over much of the album that has come with maturity. "Late Night” and "Closer” swirl with this attitude, although several other songs like "No Postcards” hum along like Teenage Fanclub at their sunniest. Throw in an excellent cover of Pink Floyd’s "Arnold Layne” and How To Build A Lighthouse adds up to quintessential Kevin Kane, which should appeal to not just Grapes of Wrath fans.