Luke Doucet & the White Falcon

Luke Doucet has lived in many places in North America, but this fifth solo effort is a love letter to the city he appears to have settled in: Hamilton, ON. Coming off of 2008's excellent Blood's Too Rich, Doucet remains in fine rocking form, leading a solid cast of musicians that perfectly complement his renowned guitar playing skills. But the real standout performance on Steel City Trawler comes from first-time producer Andrew Scott (Sloan). His raw, yet sensitive, touch lends the material a warm '70s glow, something that Doucet (no slouch of a producer himself) takes full advantage of. At the same time, the soul of Steel City Trawler is a reflection of Hamilton ― perpetual underdogs populate the songs with their stories of life on the edge. And with a crunchy cover of Gordon Lightfoot's "Sundown" thrown in for good measure, Steel City Trawler displays Doucet's true CanRock colours in all their ragged glory.