Constantines preview

Constantines
Empty Bottle, Chicago
Thursday, April 24, 2008

After releasing their second album in 2005, Ontario’s Constantines cranked out an album of Neil Young covers under their frequent alias, Horsey Craze. The band, who have always marked a sort of midpoint between classic rock and Fugazi, pendulum back on this spring’s Kensington Heights (Arts & Crafts).

The classic rock thing has been hard to hammer home, because it draws superficially on vocalist Bry Webb’s hoarse, Springsteen-esque bellow and a chugging, blue-collar ambience. Even if Constantines were the Doozers to mainstream indie rock’s more auterish, Fraggle demeanor, the Neil thing would barely register.

“Sea Of Cortez” comes nowhere near wreaking the havoc of Kensington opener “Hard Feelings,” which rocks like a rowboat in a storm, barely tethered to the pier-like rhythm section of drummer Doug MacGregor and bassist Dallas Wehrle. On “Trans Canada,” Webb puts on his Britt Daniel hat and spits some seemingly disconnected metaphors, but, buffeted by the rising tide of his bandmates, he can’t help but start howling ’til everyone’s out of gas.

It’s an isolated position, the band’s status, as they pour everything out without a hint of rock swagger or art-house pretense. They just keep coming, and I guess that’s where the Young and Springsteen references ultimately fit.

Oakley Hall and Fall Connection open.

— Steve Forstneger

Category: Stage Buzz, Weekly