After having announced a delay on the release this past summer, Troy Alistair is coming out with their self-titled debut album. With two sold-out shows at The Carleton bookending the release, the Halifax-based group is presenting a collection that showcases the eclectic sounds and influences they bring together. A high energy affair with solid musicianship, Troy Alistair is a bustling listen from start to finish.
Spearheaded by frontman and songwriter Taran Guest, Troy Alistair has a unique sound that pervades the sound of their debut album. Funk-tinged rhythms, upfront rock guitar leads and licks, and Guest’s comfortably smokey vocals hold down the fort; at times the sound diverts into some interesting niches, with Guest delivering some hasty, rapped phrases or the subtle accompaniment of brass. The flavour of the group’s sound is distinct and evident from the get-go.
Although the style on Troy Alistair is unmistakable and delivered with confidence, the songs that appear on the album have the group sitting in the same sonic pocket for most of the time, and it makes for a bit of a homogenous experience. With not a lot of distinct difference amongst the tracks to break them up, the songs bleed into one another a bit too much.
But the album is not without its departures from the grooves the group has settled into. “Jump The Gun” shows off a different side of cool for the group, laying back into a retro feel along the lines of “Brand New Cadillac” and is heightened by Guest’s vocal flow which rings of Buck 65. “Replay” and “When We Were Young” show off the lighter and harsher sides of the group’s sound respectively, as well as the impressively catchy musicianship Troy Alistair has fostered.
The debut full length for Troy Alistair shows a band extremely comfortable in the sound they’ve crafted. Each aspect of their music converges seamlessly together and produces a tightly cohesive groove. And while the album may sit too comfortably in the sound at times, the quality of the performances is undeniable, and the album shows the strength of this group to create together.