Chris Garneau's latest LP, The Kind, is released via The Orchard. Throughout this release, Garneau feels his way through layers of shame and grief, of performing other peoples’ projections of who he could or should be. The album evokes a palpable liberation from the impacts of this resistance to being seen...

The Kind is a bit of a missed opportunity. This was a chance for Chris Garneau to break out and show his true identity. The press information (as outlined in the synopsis above) states he has "layers of shame and grief, of performing other peoples' projections of who he could or should be". A bit melodramatic... but, okay. It's odd then, that when he is given the chance to show who he is, it just feels watered down and a little cliched. For me it was a bit of a step backward from 2018's Yours.

It's not that the songs are particularly bad, far from it. But they are a little cliched and a little shallow. Those expecting to be blown away, or hear something new and original are in for a bit of a surprise.

There's little on this album's 10 tracks (43 min, 38 sec) that's particularly original or stands out as material you'll want to live with for a long time.

5

Nick Smithson