Spades

Summertime in places between major cities can be reliably counted on for one thing: long weekend celebrations where inhabitants congregate with collapsible lawn chairs to enjoy barbecued food and generic rock music. While the recent self-titled EP from Peterborough, ON rockers the Spades isn't exactly disposable, it would fit in well at such an event. Opening with a few aggressive riffs, "The Revenge of Johnny Laundry" quickly reveals what the rest of the album will deliver: moderately enjoyable, but uninteresting, dock rock best suited for sunset slot at the cottage. The EP was produced by Gord Sinclair of the Tragically Hip, which is unsurprising given how much it sounds like the Can-rock staples. Album closer "Stanley Kubrick" deserves an honourable mention for lead singer James McKenty's top shelf Gord Downie impression and the sprinkling of keys underneath it though. By no means is this a bad album, just one that you already own if you're a Hip fan.