Tilt O' Whirl exposes
Luke Doucet for what he really is: a guitar god. Long before he saddled up and said, "Aloha, Manitoba," he was the backbone of Vancouver-based band
Veal. There are indicators that
Luke has a more folky side to him on this record, namely the acoustic "Buttercloud." The follow-up to its initial release, Hot Loser,
Tilt O' Whirl is when
Veal honed the band's distinctive sound. Very representative of their live show, the album is packed with energy and hooky singalong songs. Three standout tracks punctuate the album: "Spiderman," "Skid," and "Pinkos." "Spiderman"'s chorus is one of the best hooks on the record -- this, along with the fabulous guitar riffs make this the number one radio hit that everyone missed. The only thing detracting from this song is the questionable production at the end, which may lead listeners to believe that their CD player is having a conniption fit. Worry not. "Skid" is another single that radio overlooked -- a great summertime song. Playful lyrics on the subject of seeking revenge on someone for name calling -- apparently no one in the band has heard the old "sticks and stones" adage. It's a good thing -- otherwise you would have missed out on this song that brings a smile to the face of anyone who has ever wanted to smash a cell phone. "Pinkos" sounds a bit like what it would sound like if
David Byrne and
the Rheostatics collaborated on a song. The latter can likely be contributed to the fact that Michael Phillip Wojewoda produced this record, after having produced five
Rheostatics records. A great overall listen -- this record shows why
Veal was considered the West Coast's "buzziest" band shortly after this album's release. ~ Linda Woods