Rah Rah – The Poet’s Dead

I really enjoyed The Poet’s Dead, the most recent release from Saskatchewan’s Rah Rah. This album exudes a palpable energy from start to finish; the sound is big, full and all encompassing. Guitar-laden with addictive hooks and melodies that take hold of you and don’t let you go, it's no wonder this album was on this years Polaris Prize long-list. I freely admit having this album on repeat unable to get enough of what Rah Rah has to offer.

For me, this album is dedicated to the expression of growth. A kind of marked change you sense as you grow older, not only in the collective sense as a band, but more importantly as individuals, which arises only when you reflect on the past while at the same time looking forward. I think this is one of the key threads found throughout the album, the element that ties it all together regardless of the multiple singers and songwriters. “Art & A Wife” gives one of the clearest examples of this theme when Burns sings, “now I just wanna life, full of art and a wife, full of heart just a life, full of art and a wife” all while he reflects on his first guitar, forming a band, getting drunk and womanizing.

This ten-track album is littered with a number of highlights for me. From the longing to be home of “Prairie Girl”, the relatable antics of “First Kiss”, the raw energy of “20s” and the infectious “The Poet’s Dead” to name a few. This album is chalked full of tracks that encourage head bobbing, air band antics and the occasional rock fist throw down. As a transplanted western Canadian dressed in my western wear, it’s great to hear.