City And Colour Previews New Songs At Intimate Show

Alexisonfire singer Dallas Green introduced his second City And Colour solo album to the world in a fittingly subdued manner. A tightly capped audience of fans, supporters and contest winners saw Green showcase six songs from his forthcoming Bring Me Your Love album in Toronto's Music Gallery.

Green's aw-shucks everyman-ness was on full display in the intimate venue. Loose in a manner that fit the occasion, Green's between-song banter probably matched the running time of his actual singing and playing and featured, amongst other things, quizzing the audience about the score of the Raptors game, discussing how he got the sideview mirror knocked off his car, the importance of the movie Sixteen Candles, and a slyly delivered dose of guilt measured out to music downloaders.

But as charming as all that was, the real reason anyone was there was for Green's rich, high and lonesome songs. Switching between acoustic guitars throughout the set, he started off with album opener "Forgive Me" before picking up the tempo with the more urgently delivered "The Death Of Me."

From there it was on to the set — and what may be the album — highlight, "What Makes A Man." An evocative piece swirling in mortality, the elements and traveling imagery, it's the sum of numerous lonely troubadour influences.

"Waiting..." came fourth and "Against The Grain," complete with a NeilYoung-ian stab at harmonica, came fifth before closing with the song that inspired the album's title, a potently delivered "As Much As I Ever Could."

It was a short display meant more to appetize than provide cathartic release, and in this Green was entirely effective.