[Review] City and Colour-Little Hell

Dallas Green, of Alexisonfire fame, released his third solo effort earlier this month under his moniker City and Colour, through Vagrant Records.   Green has been writing songs for this project since he was 18 but his debut solo record did not come to fruition until late 2005, with the release of Sometimes.  Although the record did not see a US release from Vagrant until 2009, the album was released in Canada on Dine Alone Records and went Gold (and later Platinum) shortly after its release in 2006.   The release of City and Colour’s second full length, Bring Me Your Love, in 2008 is what put the band on the map in the US.   The sound of Bring Me Your Love was slightly different than what was found on Sometimes, which was almost completely acoustic driven.  The new material featured multiple instruments not found on other recordings, bringing new depth to the folk tinged songs, while introducing some country twang to others.  Unfortunately, Bring Me Your Love did not resonate like earlier material, it did however contain some cuts I’ve found myself going back to (“Confessions”, “The Death of Me”, ”Sleeping Sickness”).  Regardless of my opinion though, Bring Me Your Love went Platinum in Canada and debuted at #11 on Billboard’s Heatseekers Chart in March 2008.

Little Hell was recorded at Catherine North Studios in Hamilton, Ontario.  The studio is a converted church that features wide-open architecture, this and the interesting fact that the album was recorded and mixed on tape adds to the sound and feel of Little Hell.  This is by far the most mature, well-written material, Dallas (City) Green (Colour), has ever recorded.  While I still appreciate his angelic voice featured on Alexisonfire records, I believe Green has found a new home with this project.  The country twanged opener, “We Found Each Other In The Dark,” is the first of the many full band oriented songs but features a melody reminiscent of past material as well as Dallas’ beautiful unmistakable voice.  “Natural Disaster” is the second track on the record and one of my favorites from the album.  I believe that “Natural Disaster” is a great introduction to the sound/feel found on the rest of Little Hell, if not the albums’ first single “Fragile Bird.”  T

The first single is the most accessible City and Colour track they have ever recorded, and there’s proof in the numbers—the single reached #1 in Canada’s Alt Rock charts, and it happens to be another one of my favorites. There are plenty of acoustic driven tracks found on Little Hell as well so don’t be discouraged if the single wasn’t for you.  Songs like “Northern Wind”,”O’Sister”, “Silver And Gold”, and “The Grand Optimist” will leave you feeling right at home.

A couple more noteworthy tracks are the blues inspired “Weightless” and the mellow, organ driven “Sorrowing Man.”  The album title, Little Hell, was named after the song of the same name. The song is about the little heavens and little hells of a relationship, and what you do to get through them both.  Green states, “It’s a theme explored throughout the album – the balance of both the blissful and harrowing experiences that come with relationships and life as a whole. Says Green: “You have to go through those little hells to get to the really great parts of love and life.”  The piano laden closer, “Hope For Now”, is the perfect ending to an incredible album.

Written By: J.D.