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Album Details

• Artist: Constantines
• Album: Tournament of Hearts
• Label: Sub Pop/Three Gut
• Year of Release: 2005
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: dscanland on 2006-01-31

On Guelph Ontario's The Constantines' latest effort, Tournament of Hearts we are treated to a much different band. The album starts out with a little bit of guitar feedback and noodling making the listener think that they are in for something very loud but instead we are presented with a more of a battle hymn than a heavy rock song (Draw Us Lines). The band then moves into their most accessible song to date, "Hotline Operator", that very slowly builds into a louder rock song just before it completes. Then on "Love In Fear" I can't help but think of the Dischord sound like Q and Not U or the Evens. It is never really aggressive but has angular melodies that would fit nicely on that label. It's been done so many times before, band yells and plays as loud as they can to get attention, then once the attention is there they mature. It almost sounds like they've been listening to the blues.
I know I say this often but Tournament of Hearts is an album that ages well with time and over repeated listens. It is too complicated to understand and get into with just one listen unlike their previous efforts. The Constantines do Canada proud once again.

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