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CD offers bits of everything

WHITE LAKE Enter The Haggis Indie 8-out-of-10 It's not often that a band explores an abundance of musical styles on one complete album.
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WHITE LAKE
Enter The Haggis
Indie
8-out-of-10

It's not often that a band explores an abundance of musical styles on one complete album. Enter The Haggis crossed genres like they were state lines on their newest release "White Lake", and I say let them run.

Enter The Haggis has taken a very wide, Scotch induced stumble from Mainstream Pop, to sea bearing Folk, to Celtic rock in this new release. Using acoustic and electric guitars, banjo and fiddle, piano, trumpets, trombones, cellos, whistles, and the bagpipes, they've created a very intricate and complex texture of sounds.

Lyrically speaking, this album deserves many free rounds. I'm not sure which of the five members writes the songs, but whoever it is did an outstanding job. Each song carries a specific meaning, like "Whistleblower" which opens up problems taking place in the Congo to "Pseumoustophy" which is evidently about politicians campaigning and trying to seem like everyday people.

I can't identify as a "haggis head", as their fans are known, but I did like this record as if I've been a listener for years. It has the hooks, melodies, creativity, and lyrics that every great album should enjoy.

- SEAN CRAIB-PETKAU


SO SORE EP
Whipping Wind
Indie
8-out-of-10

London, Ontario's Andrew James is a musical force that cannot be stopped. While I lived there, he had just released this EP under the pseudonym Whipping Wind. I was enthralled and captivated by what one man can do with a drum machine, some guitars, and an old tape recorder. Since then he has continued to write and reveal new songs on the local radio station several times a month.

In my humble opinion, the "So Sore EP" is everything garage rock should be. It's lo-fi, unassuming, insanely catchy, and the guitar and synth melodies are unreal. The albums last track "Nothing Yet" consistently makes me want to start the album over and listen to it all again. The mix of AJ's lyrics, vocal melodies, and ripping guitar kept in line by the syncopated drum beat are enough to throw me into a frenzy of spastic "dancing" and uninhibited sing along.

At only six songs, this EP is the perfect length. Nothing gets tiring, or over bearing. Although each song is similar in style, they sound fresh when they come on.

Mr. Andrew James did an outstanding job, and I always look forward to what he's going to come out with next. You should too.

- SEAN CRAIB-PETKAU