Songs of Patience

Songs of Patience

Alberta Cross has all the markings of a radio-ready, stadium rock band, but it retains a bit of indie edge by keeping everything just a little less formulaic. Though Songs of Patience is peppered with plenty of tunes that stomp and billow like the best from Oasis and Kings of Leon, tracks like “Come on Maker” and “Life Without Warning” temper the big rock sound with organic hints of The Band and Neil Young. The heart of Alberta Cross are the Brit/Swede Petter Ericson Stakee and Londoner Terry Wolfers; they claim blues and gospel as influences and now live in the U.S. Yet they come across more as an updated ‘90s Britpop outfit, and fans of that genre will find a lot to love here. Songs like “Magnolia” and “Crate of Gold” are sometimes layered with white-hot guitars that hum, buzz, and soar, or occasionally with soft clouds of acoustic strumming while sweeping vocal choruses and airless, rock-solid drumming do the real driving. Stakee sometimes sounds like Oasis' Liam Gallagher, and even on tunes reeking of the blues (like “Bonfire”) there's a subtle Mancunian tone to his soulful voice. It’s an interesting blend of influences, making for wonderfully nuanced listening.

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