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Media Reviews for Aphrodite Rose
The Sun Review
Three and a half stars
"I am a prisoner of endless sorrow," confesses Greg Keelor on this third solo CD. Tell us something we don't know, dud. OK, that might be overstating it. But the truth is the Blue Rodeo co-founder's previous discs were dark, introspective works that dealt with some serious personal baggage (including the death of his father). Bu comparison, Aphrodite Rose - even with a few lyrics like those above - is extroverted and accessible. Backed by co-conspirators The Sadies (with guest vocals by Sarah McLachlan), Keelor plays it loose and keeps it real on these earthy and unvarnished tracks, letting the tape roll, cranking the reverb and leaving the occasion flub in the mix. Musically, the disc takes most of its cures from California country-rock, folk and paisley psychedelia, ambling along to lazy gaits and gently grooving to twangy arpeggios. The politicized "No Man's Land" and "Steal Your Mind" lightly crunch like they were penned in Neil Young's Laurel Canyon pad in the early `70s; the "Glory Oh" has rustic overtones of The Band; "Colour and Rhyme" wears its jangly hippie overtones like a fringe vest; and the bipolar "Prisoner" toggles between a bluesy dirge and a garage-rock bash. Which goes to show: Keelor may be a captive, but he still knows how to bust out and enjoy himself now and then.
Eye Weekly (Toronto) Review
by Vish Khanna Jim Cuddy - Four stars (out of five)
Greg Keelor - Three stars (out of five)
Blue Rodeo leaders Greg Keelor and Jim Cuddy have each sent solo records out into the world this fall, with each fulfilling and defying expectations. In Lennon/McCartney speak, Keelor is often viewed as the mystical eccentric while Cuddy is the smooth popsmith. Here, the perceptions ring true, however Keelor's spiritual proclamations are somewhat solemn, whereas Cuddy throws a great party. Aphrodite Rose contains some introspective, trippy rock but Keelor mostly leans toward quiet ballads, which are not readily accessible. With The Sadies in tow, songs like "No Man's Land," "Steal Your Mind," and "Prisoner" are certainly spirited but they also possess a dark, closed-off quality, with Keelor keeping the listener at a distance. On mellow folk meditations such as "High Meadow" or the Gordon Lightfoot¬inspired "Colour and Rhyme," Keelor doesn't necessarily write in abstractions but his wordplay is hazily personal and intangible.
His style is a marked contrast from that of Cuddy, whose open songs strike emotional chords immediately. The title track is a visceral burst of energy that rocks like Crazy Horse and, thanks to Bob Packwood's ingenious keyboard playing and feisty vocals by Kathleen Edwards, "Married Again" has an endearingly raucous, boogie-woogie feel. Even within sombre songs like "Pull Me Through," there's a true sense of joy within the playing on Cuddy's dynamic record that is only partially present with Keelor's effort. Keelor's ethereal ruminations are likely deeper than Cuddy's clever and cohesive numbers (though Cuddy's "One Fine Day" is a wonderful, if unlikely, protest song) but they just don't hook the listener the same way. As expected, Cuddy's The Light That Guides You Home charms listeners right off the bat, while Keelor's Aphrodite Rose is an introverted diamond in the rough, demanding more time to be truly appreciated.
