IN REVIEW: Headstones - "Little Army"

Upon making their recorded debut 25 years ago, Headstones were positioned for a quick rise in the ranks of Canadian rock. Rough-and-tumble cousins to hometown pride The Tragically Hip, Headstones were the bloody knuckled alternative that fit in so nicely in that angsty time known as the early '90s. Sure enough, their first three albums (Picture of Health, Teeth & Tissue and Smile & Wave) solidified them as tried and true hit makers, amassing a string of rock radio staples and building a loyal fan base through their intense live shows.

Like most bands of the era, Headstones' star faded around the turn of the century, and their career petered out with a couple of well-crafted records that unfortunately didn't rouse much interest outside of the devoted. Resigned to fate, they called it a day and went their separate ways until about a decade later, when they reconvened and went the grassroots route for sixth album Love & Fury. Funding the project through fan support and coming through with their most boisterous record to date paid dividends, and Headstones found themselves in the rare position of rising once again where so many of their peers never got the chance.

Clearly, they understand how to adapt and survive, and so four years later they've returned with Little Army, a record that picks up where Love & Fury left off and once again was created and presented with their fan base top of mind. I can't fathom a situation where any self-respecting fan of the band would be disappointed in what's on offer here, from the swaggering classic stomp of Devil's On Fire and Broken to the punk-informed intensity of For Your Consideration and Dead To Me. The band is fully engaged in their performances, with Hugh Dillon spitting and roaring at his usual high level of efficiency; meanwhile Trent Carr strums and slashes at peak power and Tim White's bass holds it all in place while offering a few head-turning lines (check the closing seconds of Broken in particular).

That's not to say this is simply more of the same; three new members help bolster the lineup and stretch the band's sound; Steve Carr and Rickferd Van Dyk join on keys and guitar respectively (Lyle Molzan joins as the band's new drummer), and their contributions are heavily felt on expansive songs like the viciously sinister title track, the nocturnal Sunlight Kills the Stars and the soulful and retro-leaning The View Here. Also of note is the nostalgic and propulsive hometown ode Kingston (including the sly Hip-referencing line "angst on the planks in Kingston"); it's immediately followed by the thick and groovy Los Angeles, which feels like an intentional continuation, a lyrical look-in at another stop on Dillon's journey.

Little Army might not be quite the adrenaline rush Love & Fury was, but it's just as consistent in quality while offering a more diverse array of thrills; it's proof that the only thing Headstones are less interested in than catering to trends is resting on their laurels. If Love & Fury was a supercharged love letter to rock n' roll and their fans, Little Army is a postcard to creative freedom from a head space where anything is possible and everyone is welcome.

June 2, 2017 • Cadence Music Group
Highlights Devil's On Fire • Broken • Little Army