Rare Birds:The Mohawk Lodge

Title: Rare Birds

Label: White Whales

Genre: “dirty folk”

Rating: 5.8 of 7

Don’t worry, I never heard of “dirty folk” either; but after reading the description in the press release, it seemed like a good description. The word dirty could have been easily replaced with “raw” or even more specifically, “DIY.” Rare Birds is the bastard child of Vancouver’s singer/songwriter Ryder Havadale. It was recorded independently on 8-track in a number of places varying from island wooden cabins and big city apartments. The influence of location is easily heard on the album, though it is a seamless mix. Havdale’s gin-soaked voice is the perfect complement to his strummed acoustic and the dry drum set. This is an album for those lonely, fog-ridden road trips that for some reason invoke heavy contemplation and sentimental emotions.

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