The Sadies — New Seasons

It's been three years since the last Sadies studio album, but the Toronto-based foursome certainly haven't been inactive. Fans of twang went nuts last year over In Concert Volume 1, a double-disc set from the space cowboys that more than adequately captured the bombastic country punk that riles up fans at their shows. If In Concert was their party album, then you can consider New Seasons the post-bash come-down. The 13 tracks here are still tinged with The Sadies' trademark, unrefined drawl, but the pace and energy have been drastically reduced in an effort to highlight vocals and texture. Lyrically, the subject matter couldn't be darker. New Seasons is a break-up album that, while exploring themes of departure and change, never strays too far from regret. "To go on this way isn't worth all the pain/I feel like I'm living in hell," Dallas Good spits out in "Sunset To Dawn." New Seasons may be dismal, but The Sadies do gloomy so well.