REVIEW: City and Colour "Little Hell"

You’re on a rural two lane highway. In front and behind, the only two things you know for certain weigh on the horizon just out of site, where you are going and where you came from. Just below your visor, the sky creates shades and shapes you swear you saw in a painting; and the only thing that can take your eyes from it is the way the sinking sun paints its colour across the rural hills before you. Leaving an easy life, some might call mundane, it had been your life for every minute you weren’t too stoned to live it. With it now all but erased, not shy to admit to being a little bit scared about the future, it’ll take hell before you cry about it.

The road, bathed in dusk’s pinks and purples, politely asks that you make those effortless tilts of the wheel to follow its shallow lazy curves. You oblige as it guilds you around the elderly oaks littered just to the greener side of the guardrails.

Where will this night take you? Where will the morning find you?


The mood of Little Hell, the third solo LP released by Alexisonfire’s Dallas Green, is rolling and crisp. As he gets ever more electric with each of his releases, this album covers rich layers of instrumentation with the reverb touched blanket of Dallas’ vocals.

Far and away from his debut LP Sometimes, Little Hell brings a full band along through its duration. Where I do appreciate his ability to hold an entire record up with little more than a single guitar and vocal track, this record demonstrates a different range of his energy and writing strength.

After listening several times though, Little Hell keeps listeners interested in every track. Not wanting to skip over any of Dallas' foolishly clever lyrics, as much as you want to replay each song as soon as it finishes, you can't help but keep your hands off the stereo in anticipation of the tracks that follow.

The weakest point on this album may be its first single, “Fragile Bird.” While a solid track on its own, it doesn’t meld together with what surrounds it. On the overall soothing, flowing ride this album takes you on, "Fragile Bird” enters and exits jarringly. Again, as a stand alone song, it is not in any way poor. Rather, it doesn’t seem to belong where it sits on Little Hell.

A driving mood is kept through the Little Hell’s entirety only to let you down softly with "Silver and Gold." “Hope for Now” was a bit of a disappointing way to end, however. Beginning with only Dallas’ voice and a piano, you drift off in the song. Midway through a complete band joins in, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, however the song ends with a fade out. Come on! The fade out is the weakest way to end a song let alone an entire record. How about a return back to the solo piano?

All in all, if you enjoyed Bring Me Your Love, you will enjoy Little Hell. If you are still upset that City and Colour grew to be more than just solo acoustic doodling, then you’ve probably also got a picture of Chris Carrabba under your bed with a red “X” through his face ever since you heard “Hands Down” off of A Mark, a Mission, a Brand, a Scar.

Get over it. BUY THIS RECORD

"Cobra Wolf" by Cory Branan and Jon Snodgrass

“Cobra Wolf”, a tag-team effort by Cory Branan and Jon Snodgrass, isn’t a new release; however, I think it has its place being reviewed. I’m not sure that “Cobra Wolf” is even the title of this record… I’m also not sure it isn’t. But I digress…

Jon and Cory, with their lyrical depth and openly honest style, fit together like whiskey and bacon. The one-two punch delivered across your ears by Jon’s “So Excitable” and Cory’s “The Corner” assures you you’ve found your new favorite record.

There’s enough smoky rasp on this record to give a person throat cancer. The two men weave an acoustic quilt that puts you front and center for this stripped down collaboration. Having seen both performers several times, a turn-flip-turn of this album is as close to their live show as you could. If there is a flaw to be found on this album it’s that it isn’t a double LP.

“Cobra Wolf” by Cory Branan and Jon Snodgrass is a COMPLETE BUY for any general fans of Folk, Country, Singer / Songwriter.

NOTE: don’t search “Cobra Wolf” because you probably won’t find the record. But you’ll know which record it is by the cover art.

Win a trip to see Bon Iver w/ Chase Hammerton

The “Win a trip to see Bon Iver w/ Chase Hammerton” CONTEST

WHEN: Wed. 8/10/11
WHERE: @ Prospect Park, NYC

WHAT: See Bon Iver’s only area performance (one of two dates announced in the US) along side one of the greatest visionaries (and snappy dresser)

of our time, Chase Hammerton.

HOW: TO ENTER, answer the following question in your own way (Creativity Counts): WHY WOULD CHASE HAMMERTON WANT TO… GO SEE BON IVER / VISIT BARS1 / BE FORCED TO MAKE CONVERSATION FOR AN EVENING….WITH YOU?

All entries must be emailed to chasehammerton@gmail.com by 6/7/11. The winner will be announced via The Cause Blog on 6/21/11. Late entries will be accepted (Late entries had better include an AMAZING excuse (raptors, aliens, an incident involving a poorly packed parachute…etc.) as to why they are late.) MUST BE RECEIVED BY 11:59pm 6/20/11. GOOD LUCK!



*must be 21 years of age or older to enter