I saw the Sadies playing a side stage at the Winnipeg Folk Festival years ago and they blew me away, not only because they were the loudest band at the folk fest that year. They convinced me 
that country could be cool, especially the Sadies own brand of alternative country rock and whatnot — with the emphasis on alternative. However you categorize the Sadies, they are good — really good.
Dallas and Travis Good’s latest CD “Darker Circles” combines psychedelic acid rock, classic rock Pink Floyd meets 10 Years After with a touch of more modern quirky sounds like Wax Mannequin, inspired psychedelic rockers like the ambient, delay ridden opening track ‘ Another Year Again,’ and ‘Cut Corners,’ to up tempo garage rockers like ‘Another Day Again,’ slower, more spooky fare like ‘Tell Her What I Said,’ and ‘The Quiet One,’ which is one of the Pink Floyd style ambient highlights.
I love their lyrics which are both thought provoking and poetic with lines like “growing older” is always hardest on the outcast,” from the stellar opening track.
They show their roots influence on the second half of the CD beginning with ‘Postcards,’ which sounds like more Eagles’ inspired mid ’70s Outlaws thanks to a country feel, upbeat ryhthms and excellent vocal harmonies not to mention tasteful use of harmonics and country fried chicken-picking solo and steel guitar in the background.
That Pink Floyd influenced country rock feel continues on ‘Whispering Circles.’
‘Idle Tomorrows,’ features a very tasteful acoustic guitar solo reminiscent of the Pure Prairie League.
Travis and Dallas Good really explore their roots on the hauntingly grim fiddle and banjo powered murder ballad ‘Choosing To Fly.’
They shine throughout as bassist Sean Dean and drummer/ percussionist Mike Belitsky hold down the rhythm and let the Good brothers shine.
The rootsy feel continues on the similarly grim story of ‘Violet and Jeffrey Lee’ which features another cool, quick arpeggiated guitar riff and fleet fingered acoustic guitar solo.
They end the CD on another psychedelic country/ spaghetti western instrumental “10 More Songs.”
They run the gamut and it is all good, so make sure you check them out at the Geomatic Attic, Feb. 18.
CD: Darker Circles
Band: the Sadies
Genre: Country/ rock
Record label: Yep Roc
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