‘Oh great,’ I thought, ‘another bloody singer-songwriter.’ But, as I’ve learned before, never judge a book by its cover. This is a startlingly simple CD, which proves that if you have solid content you don’t need much else. It is made up of songs about living in a Toronto that remains unseen by the casual visitor. Back alleys, mean streets, dollar stores, bars, cheap hotels, low rent apartments and such-like form the scenarios through which Brooks’ characters move, sometimes desperately, sometimes hopefully.
Straightforward playing and honest gritty vocal delivery with a real sense of urgency are the hallmarks of this record. You have to be able to cope with the unrelenting bleakness of the imagery that pervades every song but his poetic and interesting lyrics make it worth the bother. This is a CD that deserves to be heard and begs to be listened to.
-Tim Readman
March, 2006