Chris Birkett, a Toronto-based, multi-award winning, platinum-status producer, composer, singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, has joined with Shari Tallon to create his new project, The Free Spirits. 11:11 is their debut album...

The Free Spirits sound like a band out of time... Think of a watered down '80s glam rock act... and you'll pretty much have an idea of what to expect.

I couldn't fathom why the band employed what I guess (but am probably wrong) panpipes and tin whistle on several of the tracks. No doubt it was designed to offer a different sound, but it just seems a little out of place on a rock album. The female vocals on 'Free Spirit' are a bit iffy, but fine on 'The Hidden Life of Trees', so I'm not sure if Shari Tallon sang one, both or neither track.

I really wanted to like this album, and for the most part I did... but there were a few too many twee moments - mainly down to panpipes (Come on! Everyone has had their fill of panpipes) and a general feeling of hippy hug-fests... all against the backdrop of '80s glam rock.

5

Nick Smithson