Great Big Sea — Something Beautiful

There are several things you can count on in this world: death, taxes and the never-ending cheer of Great Big Sea. Life is always great on a Great Big Sea record. It’s kind of unnerving. Something Beautiful isn’t revolutionary, but it is a solid effort, showing that the band has bounced back from the loss of bass player Darrell Power (now replaced by former Moxy Fruvous member Murray Foster). It has the usual servings of Celtic-rock anthems bound to gain popularity as last call songs in university bars nationwide ("Helmethead"). Rock and pop sounds are filtering more and more into the band’s sound, but they’re still paying homage to their traditional roots, adding covers such as "John Barbour" and the instrumental "Chafe’s Ceildh." The rest of it is plucky and cheerful, with their trademark harmonies and bouncy beats giving buoyancy to songs like "When I Am King" and "Let It Go."

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