Album Review: Chris Velan - Fables for Fighters
I'm immediately struck by the great recording quality, soothing complex layers, and Tom Cochrane-like voice. Every track on this album is a consistent, polished, smooth pop song. But it's not really my style, and I'm quickly bored. Taken by itself, I think it's a huge personal achievement, but the the bigger picture, I don't think it contributes much to the world of music. Velan is not doing anything new; he's made a record for people that want to put more of the same-sounding pop rock into their collection. You're not going to feel uncomfortable, or be dazzled here. As a great Canadian musician, I commend him and wish him well in his journey of creativity, but as an innovator I find him lacking.
However, tracks that did stand out for me were 'You Don't Know What You're Asking Me', 'Scatterbrain', and 'Same Clothes', each for their lyrical content; they metaphorically speak to the human conditions that are instantly recognizable but not contrite. These I think are worth a listen.
'You're On Your Own Now' and 'Far From Here' end the album with a slightly different sound, utilizing sampling, guitar synths, and vocal effects, but it's too late at Track 10 for that. If Chris had followed this kind of creative path I might have been a bit more interested by this album.
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