Revival Dear

Revival Dear play shameless good-time country rock as if the last three decades had never happened. The Band are their most obvious influence and, as the name suggests, they’re intent on reviving the Canadian country rock tradition. As a celebration of classic songwriting, their self-titled debut album certainly works, and to such an extent that it actually becomes overbearingly retro. The Toronto, ON band are focused on the talents of singer/songwriter Eddie Orso and singer Shelley Hayes. They’re signed to U Spin Records, a new independent label formed specifically to release their music. Orso sure knows how to write a good tune, with the tone for the record set by foot-stomping opener "Town that I’ve Known.” On numbers such as "Hometown Down Heart” and "Workin Man,” he tells Springsteen-esque stories of small town blues, albeit, as on "Cold Manitoba,” with a Canadian twist. But though the songwriting is flawless, the way Revival Dear look only to the past ultimately becomes grating.