Dave Rave

It's tough to be a cult hero, but it's downright awful being a Canadian cult hero. Dave Rave falls into that category simply because throughout his 30-year career, the Hamilton, ON native never toed the Can-Rock party line, choosing instead to stay true to his British Invasion soul. It's remarkable to think of how much Canadian music made during that period is now clogging landfill sites, while Rave's catalogue remains, although criminally unheard, consistently enjoyable. Live With What You Know is no exception, a collection of power pop gems by a true master of the form. Like his closest contemporary, the late Alex Chilton, Rave has had a tendency to be too spontaneous over the years, but on Live With What You Know, his focus is as sharp as it's ever been. Even at 16 tracks, the album never lags; for every jangly rocker like "Anne-Marie" and "Rain Song" there's a soaring, McCartney-esque ballad like "Siren Song #2" and "Station Road." This is easily the best work from a true unheralded Canadian legend.