This is Scott Cook's fifth full-length album in eight years. Described as an Edmonton-based travelling balladeer, he is here backed by a seven-piece honky-tonk band.
This country-orientated set was recorded live over a single weekend, never going beyond three takes for each song in order “to try and put the summer on the record”.
The thirteen-track album gets the party started with the sound of a beer can opening, before launching into the Long Weekends Theme. The festivities end with While The Party's Still Going.
Despite the ragged, happy-go-lucky tone, there are more than a few party pooping tunes in between.
Maybe it's the stridently Canadian perspective, but, personally, I can't get on the singer’s wavelength. There's irony and humour which I'm guessing is supposed to be tongue in cheek but he just comes over like a bit of a smart ass with a snidey, self righteous way of making stands on issues great and small.
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In Will The Circle Be Unbroken he lists some of the much requested campfire songs that he thinks need to be "put out to pasture"; in Drink Poverty History he toasts pet hates which include Live Aid and Russell Brand.
Worst of all, Talkin' Anthropocalypse Blues is a tediously wordy and confused eight-minute talking blues rant about end-of-the-world predictions.
Cook vows to "keep living for a living" (Come This Far), whatever that means, and proceeds to the final song which is all about when it is strategically best to leave a party.
If 'Go Long' is on the revelers' play list, I'd be inclined to slip away well before the end.
Scott Cook's website
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