Album Review: RHEOSTATICS - Here Come The Wolves

Finally!  The Rheostatics have released their first studio album in 14 years.  They’ve been around since 1978 and slowly gained momentum to become one of the premier Canadian bands of the 90’s, but sadly split up in 2007, possibly for the same reason that many young marriages fall apart- the spouses mature into different people with new things to focus on.  Dave Bidini especially has had success in the field of journalism, writing several non-fiction books and erecting a small newspaper for the west end of Toronto.  Drummer Dave Clark has had a succession of somewhat accomplished bands, culminating in collaborations with none other than Gordon Downie of the Tragically Hip.  Martin Tielli and Tim Vesely also have been involved in their own projects, though they have been more grass roots in their concentrations.

But in 2016, they started touring again.  With Clarkie back behind the kit, and this seemed to bring back the old groove to their sound.  New songs, and new versions of old unreleased songs started finding their way into the setlist and, with the addition of violinist Hugh Marsh and Barenaked Ladies keyboardist Kevin Hearn, their shows have had a polish and power that probably hadn’t been there since their Whale Music days back in 1992.

So then comes this album; Here Come The Wolves.  Produced by Chris Stringer; a stalwart soundsmith for many independent Canadian bands such as Selina Martin, Wooden Sky and Timber Timbre, the album is a return to the fully produced, rich sound that made their most memorable albums so memorable.  They have stuck to the formula of writing their own individual songs, but there is new life in their songwriting, presenting a diverse palette of music for a vibrant whole.  Martin Tielli’s standout is the haunting “Vancouver” which has his trademark ethereal quality and his beautifully weird singing voice.  Tim Vesely seems to remain the hookmaster in the group, offering beautifully hummable songs, but his magnum opus is the heartbreaking “Music is the Message”, which plays like it would accompany the end credits of the most emotionally shattering movie ever made.  Even Dave Clark has a song: “It’s the Super Controller!”, which has that bouncy joviality that has always been integral the Rheos’ repertoire.  Dave Bidini brings his A-game with “AC/DC On My Stereo”, where his lyrical skills remain paramount with delightful turns of phrase, peppered with a deliberate Canadiana namedrop here and there. Also worthy of mention is his memorial song for Gord Downie- a surprisingly jaunty song; “Goodbye Sister Butterfly”: “I know a man who swallowed a country/We followed him to the sea/We were drunk so long at the party/He drove all night in his Chevy Caprice”. I’m sure Wicapi Omani has been bopping along to it up there in the stars.

Point Me To The Sky: Vankleek Hill, September 2017

As a whole, the album shows the maturity and patience of a band that has let their music evolve and cure over time.  Gone are the Dr. Demento novelty tunes and giddy schoolyard ditties.  Enter a full spectrum of sound and emotion that gives the listener a ride not unlike a jazz concert or a classical opus, with rich vocal harmonies, intricate transitions and unexpected twists and turns outside of the pop formula.  Rheostatics have seemed to rediscover themselves and the powers that have always made them great, and this album is the result.