Dallas.

City and Colour's newest album Little Hell was released yesterday and I picked it up as soon as I could get myself to an HMV. With the album playing for the first time in the background I decided to write my next blog post about Dallas Green, front man of City and Colour and one of few people whom I would consider an idol of mine.

For those who don't know, City and Colour officially came to be on November 1, 2005 when St. Catherines-born musician Dallas Green released a full-length album of acoustic songs he was working on alongside his time playing lead guitar for Alexisonfire (who themselves are probably my favourite band ever). The album, Sometimes, featured singles: "Save Your Scissors" and "Comin' Home". My favourite tracks off the album include: "Off By Heart...", "Hello I'm In Delaware", and "Casey's Song", but really the whole album is terrific and everyone should give it a listen. Despite achieving Gold status in March 2006 and Platinum status in November of the same year, the album wasn't too much of a hit with mainstream music listeners (their loss).

City and Colour at Rogers Picnic, 2008

Sometimes was followed up with 2008's Bring Me Your Love (BMYL). This new album marked a departure from the pure-guitar and piano focused solo act of Sometimes as it introduced more instruments to the mix (such as the harmonica, banjo, lap steel, and drums) as well as more band members, resulting in BMYL having a folk-influenced sound. While I personally prefer Sometimes to BMYL, the album is noteworthy for a number of things. As already mentioned, the evolution of City and Colour from a solo act to a folk-influenced band, but also for featuring significant artists on the album. Many tracks on BMYL featured the work of members of indie/folk rock band Attack In Black (another favourite of mine, one time I got to see them play a small show in Newmarket with The Flatliners. I remember seeing some of the band members outside the venue as I was going in and I went up to them and exclaimed, "Hey! You're in the band right!?", they just looked at me funny and said, "yeah" followed by an awkward silence, I replied with "well, have a good show then" and walked off. If only I had remembered their names and played it cooler, I could have made some neat friends that day...oh well, back to the Dallas) as well as Gordon Downie of the Tragically Hip. With the support of singles "Waiting..." and "Sleeping Sickness" BMYL would follow the precedent set by Sometimes and go Platinum in Canada. My personal favourite tracks off the album include: "Sleeping Sickness" (probably one of my favourite songs of all time), "The Girl", and "What Makes Man".

With Little Hell just released yesterday I cannot really discuss much about the album in regards as to how it will act as yet another progression for Green and his music. However I can say that, after one listen, it is clear that the days of Green being the sole member of City and Colour playing guitar or piano are long gone as Little Hell's tracks all feature a full band - following in BMYL's footsteps. It's a good album, but I'll have to listen to it a few more times before I make any definitive statements about it. Although I can say that it's different from City and Colour has done before, but this is in no way a bad thing. The first single "Fragile Bird" is currently making its way up the Canadian and international music charts, and there is no doubt that this new album will only help to bolster City and Colour's career and bring them into the mainstream (as demonstrated by Dallas Green being featured on the show One Tree Hill). I eagerly await a Canadian tour announcement in support of the new album.

City and Colour at Massey Hall, 2009

There are many reasons why I find Dallas Green so appealing. For one, he's an excellent Canadian musician, capable of a wide range of musical styles and abilities (as demonstrated with his leading guitar and vocal contributions to both the post-hardcore band Alexisonfire and the acoustic/folk/alternative work of City and Colour). He's my favourite member of my favourite band ever (Alexisonfire, whom I started listening to at the age of 14). His music has been a part of my life's soundtrack for a long time now; playing in the disc tray, through my computer speakers, or on my iPod in times of a frustration, loss, joy, sadness, reassurance and all the other emotions any typical teenager-turned young adult might - and does - experience. I have had the privilege of seeing Dallas Green play live three times (twice with City and Colour and once with Alexisonfire) and he is an artist that has proven his ability in the recording booth and live on stage. He's worked all his life being dedicated to what he's passionate about (he started playing music with Alexisonfire at the age of 21 - he's now 30) and he has found success doing this (he's sold numerous albums and won many awards throughout his music career). His lyrical style is passionate and emotional, exemplified by his "angelic" (as I've heard it be referred to as) vocal abilities. He is a genuine musician in every sense of the word. I liken Dallas Green to my generation's Neil Young or Bryan Adams, and while he isn't a Canadian great yet (in terms of popular music culture in this country) I have no doubt that he one day will be.