Northern Passages is tenth studio album by Canadian band The Sadies. If we include live albums and compilations, it is the 16th album they have released since 1994. After more than two decades, the band still performs in the same formation, which is: brothers Dallas and Travis Good, Sean Dean and Mike Belitsky. The Sadies are sticking to the recognizable sound they have created by preparing a cocktail made out of genres such as country, psychedelic folk rock, garage rock, surfrock and rockabilly. Mmmmm, sounds delicious. Northern Passage is an evidence that the band is still refreshing and intriguing.
The album unfolds with country ballade Riverview Fog, and continues with songs Another Season Again, There Are No Words, and It's Easy (Like Walking), that fit the authentic alternative rock sound they have been nurturing throughout their career. On phenomenal It's Easy (Like Walking), we have a guest appearance by Kurt Vile who joins the club of great artists The Sadies collaborated with including Neko Case, Andre Williams and Neil Young.
Psych rock/honky tonk/shoegaze The Element Song is the heydey of the album, while Through Strange Eyes and God Bless The Infidels offer country version of The Sadies with the vertigo of pedal steel guitars, banjo and violin. The album ends with brilliant instrumental The Noise Museum where we have a chance to hear the interplay of two guitars that sound like Aurora Borealis would sound. Synesthesia is real.
The Sadies have managed to maintain consistent quality over the course of two decades. Northern Passage is a very good album with eleven cool songs that serve as a steady addition to their respectable discography.
