Sam Roberts Band — Love At The End Of The World

Sam Roberts was hailed as the next logical Can-rock beer-hoisting king after his first album, We Were Born In A Flame came out. His second release, Chemical City, presented a particular dichotomy. He grew a bushy beard and created a record full of uncompromising, fuzzed-out space rock. It should have earned him cred points with the snooty indie kids, but at that point they were already swept up in Arcade Fire fever. And so with his third album Roberts has shaved the beard and with it, what appears to be any desire to court those mercurial scenesters. Indeed, first single "Them Kids," with its pointed line "The kids don't know how to dance to rock 'n' roll," serves notice that Roberts and his band have moved on. The focus here is on songs, not sonics, and while "Fixed To Ruin" may be a B.R.M.C.-style rock-out, slower soul-searchers like the sweetly familiar "Oh Maria," "Sundance," "The Pilgrim" and "Words + Fire" are far more the norm. It's all less political, virulent and cosmic, which'll probably serve Roberts well. One can't help but feel a little sad that the fuzz pedals have been put in the closet, though.