City And Colour – Little Hell

This fantastic new album from City and Colour – the name which Dallas Green grants his solo work –is a lot more heaven than hell, and is in no ways little.

Little Hell is an album whose arrival has been long awaited, and after having already released two masterful albums, expectations were high for the third. It’s no surprise that Dallas Green, a man with an incredible talent for writing touching tunes, does not disappoint. The quality of Little Hell is that it’s one of those albums where each song is in the running to be the highlight of the album – there’s not a weak moment throughout and it just gets better with every listen. This is made all the more impressive by the wide range of styles on display – ‘Fragile Bird’ features a thick bass hook and a beat made to tap toes to while the vocals are a harmonised haunting tone, whereas the very next track  ‘Northern Wind’ is a beautiful, slow ballad with delicately strung guitar and just a hint of strings. Dallas Green has captured many tones and has done so with near-perfection.

At its slowest, Little Hell resembles City and Colour’s more sombre debut album and at its most energetic it resembles the fuller sound of the second album. The balance struck between older and newer sounds is fantastic and the songs are crafted well enough and with enough soul and care to make every track feel fresh. Possibly the biggest credit due to Dallas is that nothing is overdone – there are no big guitar solos that are not welcome, and the drums are just enough to add to the style of Greens’ music rather than overpower it. Where another artist might allow some elements in a song to overpower the rest, City and Colour strike a balance between every instrument and everything comes together as a very coherent, very clear and very well crafted piece. As usual though, it’s difficult not to just forget the music for a moment and indulge yourself in Dallas Green’s vocals from time to time – they truly are fantastic and his voice is one that should not be forgotten in the years to come.

While some tunes certainly get the heart racing more than others, especially in the case of the thunderous album closer ‘Hope for Now’, Little Hell is definitely an album to chill to, just as its predecessors were. Even at its most monstrous, the album is a tame beast that nestles poignant and thought-provoking lyrics within warm tones. The occasional sharper beat will certainly awaken a snappier tone, but proceedings are by and far more thoughtful than aggressive. Any fan of singer songwriter or acoustic styles of music will delight in the strong presence of Dallas’ vocals as well as marvel at the musical prowess on show with every beat and note.

Little Hell was an album with a lot to live up to, so it’s certainly pleasing to know that City and Colour have written another masterpiece.

Tracklisting :

1. « We Found Each Other in the Dark”
2. « Natural Disaster”
3. « The Grand Optimist”
4. « Little Hell »
5. « Fragile Bird »
6. « Northern Wind »
7. « O’ Sister »
8. « Weightless »
9. « Sorrowing Man »
10. « Silver and Gold »
11. « Hope for Now »

Glen Lewis