King Street Healers

There’s nothing particularly innovative or revolutionary about the King Street Healers. You might even be inclined to call them regressive, with their obvious musical references that stretch beyond 1975 only to include the Black Crowes or fellow Saskatchewanians Wide Mouth Mason. But to dismiss them as mere anachronisms would be too bad, for them and for you. Because while the King Street Healers aren’t doing anything groundbreaking, when they do what they do, they do it right. Their Southern rock boogie, doled out with a side order of breezy funk, goes down easy and is no doubt served best in a sweaty nightclub. Although a few guitar solos seem a little rushed (come on, guys, give us a chance to savour it!), their jams never feel like wank fests. These guys know where they’re going and between Jeff Mertick’s strong voice, Jason Fiskes’s sharp (if occasionally overzealous) guitar, and a reliable rhythm section, they’re well equipped to get there.