Album Review: Alberta Cross – Alberta Cross
2 min read
It’s been an interesting time for English rock outfit Alberta Cross, particularly for lead singer Peter Stakee who now remains the only founding member; bassist Terry Wolfers left the band in 2013. This is the first time that Stakee has taken on an Alberta Cross project alone, hence why he’s decided to make the new album self-titled due to his “fresh start” with the group.
Lead single Ghost Of Santa Fe is the perfect track to carry the torch: it’s horns section and overall lifting and upbeat atmosphere really sets the mood. The same appealing set of horns can be heard throughout tracks like Easy Street, but even the strings get a good go in the dramatic Water Mountain; lyrically, vocally and instrumentally Alberta Cross has proven to be a mature, personal and intriguing release.
The acoustic guitars and subtle arrangements heard in Shadow Of Mine and Smoky Lake really allow you to appreciate the rawness and warmth of this album. While the sound of Alberta Cross hasn’t lost its indie/alternative origins, there’s definitely a much deeper and ambient sound than before.
Alberta Cross isn’t one of those “showy” albums where the production is overdone and the mixes are simply thrown together: you can tell that it has been crafted with love and tenderness provided by Stakee. Recorded in an old church refurbished into a studio, there’s definitely an intimate ambience about the sound of the album that grips you. This is Alberta Cross like you’ve never heard them before.
