The Constantines
http://www.constantines.ca
styles: indie rock
others: Oneida, Spoon, Tangiers, Guided by Voices, Broken Social Scene
 Tournament
of Hearts
Sub Pop, 2005
rating: 4.5/5
reviewer: bondelli
The Constantines, darlings of the Toronto indie scene, are at it again with the
Sub Pop release Tournament of Hearts. Following their highly acclaimed
Shine a Light, Bry Webb and the rest of the Cons deliver another impressive
album of post/punk/rock & roll bliss. Tournament reveals a new
progression for the Constantines, while staying true to the sound that made
Shine a Light so great. The difference was probably affected by the presence
of Oneida's Bobby Matador during most of their recording, and listeners familiar
with both bands should be able to discern Oneida's influence. Tournament of
Hearts should not disappoint existing Constantines fans or anyone else that
is lucky enough to pick this album up.
Tournament begins with "Draw Us Lines," a song consisting entirely of one
chord. Most bands could never successfully pull off such a feat, but Bry Webb's
passionate singing and lyrics, combined with the ability to create a flow that
circumvents monotony, allows the Cons to work it into an interesting track. The
rest of the tracks are varied enough to keep anyone from becoming bored even
after many listens. The album contains "Hotline Operator," which was originally
released as a B-side on the "Nighttime-Anytime" single, and my personal
favorite, "Soon Enough," a track with a Western feel that manages to be both
mellow and upbeat, with catchy guitar-work tied together perfectly with Webb's
singing.
The greatest aspect of
Tournament of Hearts
is Bry Webb's singing. His voice convinces you of the truth of the emotion and
power of his songs. With so many bands either sounding whiny or bland,
especially when it comes to songs even remotely addressing the subject of love,
it is refreshing to hear it done the way it was meant to be: emotion without
mushiness, rock without bland lyrics, and execution that seems not at all phony.
1. Draw Us Lines
2. Hotline Operator
3. Love in Fear
4. Lizaveta
5. Soon Enough
6. Working Full Time
7. Good Nurse
8. Thieves
9. You Are A Conductor
10. Windy Road
 Shine
A Light
Sub Pop, 2003
rating: 3/5
reviewer: wolfman
The Constantines, Guelph Ontario’s new indie rock darling have been creating an
overly excessive buzz in Canada right now. Everyone has covered and praised the
quintet on the success of their sophomore offering Shine A Light. But
through the media glitz and abundant coverage conceal the true evidence of the
band's recent album release. After several listens and ongoing analysis, the
only true conclusion to Shine A Light is that this album is good, but not
great. What has become of the Constantines is what happened to the Strokes no
more than 2 years ago. The media salivates for new blood to expose and the
Constantines have become the target in Canada. But remember, the product must be
well managed and Shine a Light is truly hit and miss.
The album starts off with great promise with the heavy driven thump of "National
Hum," creating a direct and effective connection with the listener, exemplifying
the real key components of the Constantines previous success. Power, energy and
melody are evident very early on the record and are also the focus of the
Constantines dreamy and catchy self-titled debut back in 2001. But shortly after
track one comes the first blunder of the record. The up-tempo and in your face
attack is quickly dissolved in top 40 indie incredibility. "Shine A Light," the
second song, does not continue the established flow of the opening song. And
this is apparent throughout the entire record; a series of great song-bad song
mixes that dilute and break the entire flow of the record on a whole. "Young
Lions,' the centerpiece of the record is a beautiful, harmonious journey but
unfortunately, it is followed by "Goodbye Baby & Amen," a Cons experiment that
do not resonate their passion and integrity fully. Shine A Light follows
the exact pattern throughout, creating a disjointed and incoherent musical
experience.
For the Constantines, Shine A Light is exactly what they have
accomplished. Sometimes, ‘shining a light’ may be helpful in circumstances when
you need a clearer path to take. But as well, “shining a light’ may be annoying
and cumbersome, like when someone takes a flashlight and puts it directly in
your face. This album epitomizes both circumstances very well. But fortunately
with the help of the media, The Constantines’ path will be clear and bright for
many days to come.
1. National hum
2. Shine a light
3. Nightime/Anytime (it’s alright)
4. Insectivora
5. Young lions
6. Goodbye baby & amen
7. On to you
8. Poison
9. Scoundrel babes
10. Tiger & crane
11. Tank commander (hung up in a warehouse town)
12. Sub domestic
 The
Constantines
Three Gut, 2001
rating: 4.5/5
reviewer: matt weir
The Constantines are an unidentified smoke emitting from the speakers. It's a
familiar smoke to be sure -- these five Canadian boys regularly channel the fury
of Fugazi and Bruce Springsteen with abandon -- but still, where did it come
from? Only one thing is for sure, and it's that their brand of rock and roll,
like smoke, brings the promise of honesty: behind it, there's a fire.
The Constantines left their mark on the underground rock world in 2003 with the
release of Shine a Light, impressing legions of hipsters with one of the
first rock records in years to induce dropped jaws instead of cringes. But
Shine a Light was merely the band's self-titled release trapped in a burlap
sack.
On this 2001 record, their first, the band plays exactly like every band should
on their debut: like they have nothing to lose and everything to prove. And it's
on this self-titled record that the Constantines bitterly exorcise the spirit of
rock and roll without irony or fanfare. They pour their confusion and angst out
on every track with oblique poetry and raw, buzzing instrumentation.
While the Strokes, Mooney Suzuki, and others issued debuts in 2001, showcasing a
much-hyped "return to rock and roll," those records conjured the structure of
rock music with no real purpose except to simply play rock music. The
Constantines, on the other hand, treat rock and roll like an oracle. They see
the music as a means to answering their questions, a way to make the pain and
anxiety go away.
On every raw, beautiful song on The Constantines, a strange atonal buzz
permeates the mix; from my side of the speaker, it sounds like the band recorded
their open wounds directly onto the tape. On "Justice," for instance, the chorus
simply sputters out of the verses like it wasn't even meant to occur. And on
"Some Party," the handclaps don't sound joyous at all; they sound angry and
desperate, two things no one has ever associated with handclaps. Even when lead
singer Bry Webb sneers Rod Stewart lyrics on "Young Offenders," he sounds
pitifully honest, like he's only mocking because that's his only way to show he
cares.
The Constantines is audio emotion; it's an expression of a longing and a
feeling, not a hook or a melody. If you listen to this album, you probably won't
sing these songs in the shower or hum along with them in the car. You will
instead scream these in your sleep and feel them hum inside your bones. And
that's where their smoke comes from.
1. Arizona
2. The Long Distance Four
3. Some Party
4. Young Offenders
5. Justice
6. Seven A.M.
7. No Ecstasy
8. Hyacinth Blues
9. Saint You
10. The McKnight Life
11. Steal This Sound
12. To the Lullabies
13. Little Instruments
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