Land of Talk makes up for mistakes with style

Singer Elizabeth Powell follows other popular Canadian vocalists.

By Andrea Kszystyniak

Published Oct. 31, 2008

Oh, Canada: home of hockey, maple syrup and really, really rocking female vocalists. Land of Talk's lead singer Elizabeth Powell is not quite as vocally talented as Canadian singers Alanis Morissette and Leslie Feist, but with a bit of practice, the young singer will be running circles around these aging vocalists.

Her band's sophomore album, Some are Lakes, grabs listeners from the very first track, with the pounding drums of "Yuppy Flu," and doesn't drop them till the closing, half-French, ballad, "Troubled." Reminiscent of Cat Power's You Are Free, Rilo Kiley's The Execution of All Things, and a little bit of Aimee Mann, Land of Talk has developed a unique sound despite a variety of widely popular influences. Produced by Justin Vernon, lead singer of Bon Iver, in an old converted church just outside of Montreal, the band has never tried to be anything but true to itself. Musically, Land of Talk does not always hit the mark on perfection, but it makes up for it in pure style and emotion.

And what Land of Talk lacks in raw musical talent, it makes up for in individuality of tone. The tonal quality of Powell's voice is reminiscent of Jenny Lewis but has intricacies all its own. During the chorus of "Corner Phone," where it seems like Powell's vocal chords will simply snap, her pitch reaches superhuman levels. The drum beats lapse between stereotypical 4/4 rock beats and fast, nearly disco hammerings. Every song on the album stands on its own and could easily have been produced by 10 different artists. The band alternates between strumming, folksy tracks to hammering, screeching and frenetic howling tracks like "Give Me Back my Heart Attack" and "Corner Phone," which sounds very much like a Sonic Youth track.

While certainly complimenting its touring buddies, Broken Social Scene, Land of Talk has taken a path all its own, experimenting with a post-hardcore style that helps to distinguish the band from other artists. At some points, Powell's persistent strumming becomes grating, making moments of quiet vocals much appreciated. Powell's superior voice sometimes struggles to peek its head through the fog of heavy bass lines and pounding drums.

On the other hand, the album's tonal quality matches up with the gritty lyrics, showing Powell is much rawer and heavier than Emily Haines and Feist, her Broken Social Scene predecessors. The lyricist remains melancholy, steering away from the path paved by Metric that seems to influence almost all Canadian bands to write the happiest songs ever composed. Rife with downright depressing themes (Example: the chorus of "Some Are Lakes" where Powell claims "I'll love you like I love you/And then I'll die") tracks from this album are not necessarily the ones to put on a mix tape for your latest love interest.