Ian La Rue & the Condor

It's always fun to see action-packed pop rock come with some hometown spirit, especially when it's Winnipeg. La Rue even sings something oddly similar to a Weakerthans lyric on "A Crow's Fight": "Letting this great city fall." This is La Rue's first recorded venture with new band the Condor, and it was a good experience. They work well together, mixing adrenaline and strength in the faster, guitar-driven songs with patience and self-discipline in the slower ones. There are a few moments that don't fit. For instance, in the last song there's a typewriter sample that's distracting, and "On Pride and Patience" could have used a bit more tweaking. Don't let that discourage you though. La Rue and new members Matt Magura, Andrew Workman and Louis Levesque Cote have made a good album.