David Myles

In recent years, it has been female singer-songwriters that have dominated on the East Coast (Jenn Grant, Catherine MacLellan, Meaghan Smith, et al.). Helping redress the imbalance is award-winning songsmith David Myles. His three previous albums have flitted between genres, and here he stresses a soulful pop rock sound over folk elements. He's chosen a perfect foil in the form of producer Joel Plaskett, and the recorded to tape analog approach brings a warm, slightly retro feel to the material. Like Plaskett, Myles has an openhearted and honest style as both a singer and songwriter. Plaskett and Garrett Mason have songwriting assists on, respectively, "Out Of Love" and "So Far Away," two of the strongest cuts here, while the title track is a piece of quiet beauty. The one flaw is an over reliance on elemental imagery (rain, rust, roads, dust, snow, sun, wind, etc.) and the occasional banal lyric. The fact that Myles can get away with lines likes "when we're close and when we're far, over the mountains, under the stars, I will love you" ("I Will Love You") speaks volumes about his likeability as an artist.