reviewed by Michael
Not since the release of Joel Plaskett’s Three has there been a release of this proportion. This monster release, the double-disc, 32-track album comes from Winnipeg’s the Paperbacks. This album which is full of rock energy is a fantastic way to kick off the first month of the new decade.
Having never heard the Paperbacks previous to this album, I made a mental comparison to the Stormalongs, a Toronto band that I reviewed a few months earlier. Both bands have an intense energy as well as very interesting song titles. Some of the interesting song titles from Lit From Within include “The Patron Saint of Atheists”; “Regrettable Tattoos”; “A Dizzy Chain of Bees” and “Umbrella Skeletons.”
While I have already described the music as rock, it really varies. The tempo of the music can be blistering (“Make Art”) to melodic (“Lit from Within”) and there are really no boundaries to their sound, either. The mood jumps all over the place from song to song, introducing a very interesting jarring effect.
One thing that the Paperbacks know how to do and do very well is tell a great story through song. For example, in “Slow Learners” it tells the story of a girl (possibly a past love interest) who used to be very relaxed and carefree and is now hardened and hesitant to do things. Or “Communicated Through Blood” which tells the story of the death of an alcoholic father, a mother who fills the holes in her life by addictions and their child who leaves home at the age of sixteen.
Mentioning that jarring effect again- the next song to follow is “Regrettable Tattoos” which abandons the sadness and gloom of the previous song and begins with a cool funk-rock opening.
Disc 2 two begins on a more melodic note with “The Arc of a Light” and then moves into the faster-paced “A Dizzy Chain of Bees.” The following song, “Casually Swearing at the Vacant Coastline” is also upbeat but tells another story, this time of a girl who gets really drunk and almost gets into major trouble.
The biggest standout is, funny enough, the song that shares its name with the album, “Lit From Within.” In this song, the acoustic guitar makes a rare appearance, and tells the sad story of a woman who seems to have absolutely no luck and a horrible life. However the woman is redeemed in the end, though I don’t want to give any more away.
Generally a fantastic album, with a varied rock sound that borders punk, funk and pop-rock at one time or another. Recommended.
Top Tracks: “Lit From Within”; “Umbrella Skeletons”; “Communicated Through Blood”; “A Year on Trial”
3.5 Hoots (out of 4)
