The Waking Eyes — Holding On To Whatever It Is

Holding On To Whatever It Is

Coalition/Warner

Aaron Brophy (CHARTattack)

11/04/2008 1:43pm

If it always seemed like The Waking Eyes got a softer touch from the music community intelligentsia for their radio-standard Can-rock, it's because they did. The reason wasn't because of a collective secret affinity for drive-time DJs so much as it was everyone knowing the Eyes were a band of solid music pedigree capable of so much more. After four years in purgatory, they've returned with Holding On To Whatever It Is and it finally appears they're rewarding that goodwill. The album's a sophisticated, diverse and danceable pop rock record that represents a remarkable comeback for the Winnipeggers. "Clap Clap" is particularly exciting, its joyous bounce making it perhaps the best dance rock song to come from the prairies since The Northern Pikes' "Dancing In A Dance Club" 20 years ago. The title track, with its cop of The Payolas, alerts you to just one of the many sly pop appropriations (Beyonce and Paul McCartney are amongst others) that'll have trainspotters pouring over the album. And in a sentiment that'll ring familiar to any hard-touring Canadian act, the wonderful "Get Me To The Doctor" appears to be a heartfelt eulogy to a band van. Side two — this is very much a "vinyl" album in tracklisting and actual physical release — is slower and less immediate, but "Trouble On The Patio" and "Run Through The Fire" yield their own, more subtle treasures. In all, Holding On To Whatever It Is is a solid, bordering on superior effort.