[review 2008: half-measures and quiet victories]

Applause Cheer Boo Hiss, the first Land of Talk release, reminds me of a certain alt-rock radio sound, but it’s not something I can put my finger on directly. Fast forward over two years later, to the Montreal band’s first proper album, and things have changed. Lizzie Powell’s sung with Broken Social Scene on the side while most of the band’s original lineup have moved on for good. The band’s had their gear stolen and their European plans dashed after the Decemberists cancelled the tour Land of Talk was slated to support.

But most importantly, they’ve spent the better part of two years running Applause Cheer Boo Hiss into the ground. It’s not surprising that Some Are Lakes should take a slightly different musical approach, then. But one thing has stayed the same, at least: Land of Talk still remind me of days gone by. Only this time, I have a theory as to why Some Are Lakes feels faintly familiar: it reminds me of Weeping Tile’s Valentino.

As a reassuring slice of vaguely nostalgic Canrock, then, Some Are Lakes succeeds. The title track is Land of Talk’s “Every Good Story,” “Young Bridge” their “South of Me.” The trouble is, I’m not sure I entirely like this new direction; it sacrifices the raw intensity I loved most about Applause Cheer Boo Hiss, and even turns some of that first release’s assets into liabilities. Take, for instance, Powell’s distinctive voice. On their EP, that voice was simultaneously aggressive and vulnerable, like the sound of a survivor constantly fending off fatigue and almost on the verge of breakdown. Here, her voice has lost some of that colour; instead, on tracks like “Give Me Back My Heart Attack,” it becomes indistinct and robbed of its emotional intensity.

The most obvious case study of Land of Talk’s transition is “Young Bridge,” long a staple of the band’s live show. You can hear live versions dating back to when Land of Talk’s original lineup was still intact—back then, “Young Bridge” sounded like a more upbeat b-side of Applause Cheer Boo Hiss. The drums sounded more intricate and nimble, and some of the same relentless guitar riffs that drive so many of the EP’s tracks was still present during the bridge. The version found on European versions of the EP added some ill-advised reverb to Powell’s vocal performance, and the drum parts were simplified slightly. The Some Are Lakes version takes the evolution two steps further, slowing the tempo further and removing all of the urgency of the original bridge by scaling back the guitar chords drastically.

That’s not to suggest the album is a failure; the first three tracks make a great late-night set, and the centerpiece is the 3am motel-room radio ballad “It’s Okay.” It’s completely unlike anything we’ve heard from Land of Talk, and though it’s hard to see the band make a career out of songs like it, “It’s Okay” is the standout track of the album. But I’m hoping that next time around, Land of Talk brings back some of the intensity they used to have in spades.