The Motherhood three-piece has teamed up with console steel guitarist, Keith Kallet and together, they are Sam Salmon & the Grand Manan Bandits—a bunch of Maritime country outlaws. Rounding out the year with the third release from the Motherhood family, DOWN FOR LIFE is a Maritime dirt country album. The last release from this musical collective was the garage surf punk album, Liquid Compactor, from bassist/ vocalist Penelope Stevens, under the moniker Penny & the Pits. But now the collective has gone analog, creating an album that would fit nicely in a rotation next to Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs or the newer work of the prairie country star, Colter Wall.
Brydon Crain takes most of the lead vocals while strumming some cowboy chords, and Stevens hops on backup now and then to really let these tunes ring out, while the drums by Adam Sipkema hold down the slow-burning vibe. DOWN FOR LIFE is straight outlaw country music, nothing flashy and complicated, but Kallet’s steel guitar is absolutely sizzling on a track like “Waste Your Time.” The lyrics for the most part are par for the course; sad cowboys singing about lost love, loneliness and disillusionment. My personal favourite has to be “600 Degrees,” with the harmonies between Crain and Steven and a nice key change near the end. I also like “Kissing Goodbye,” which is led by Stevens’ vocals. Again, that steel guitar is so sweet.
There are a few references to the Maritime countryside, which is a nice change of pace from most country focusing on the Great American frontier. With “Sam Salmon Anthem,” the album ends in the form of an electrified, weird origin story for Sam Salmon. It seems like this guy hopped between religions before deciding to be a scammin’ outlaw with the Grand Manan Bandits. Or the name Sam Salmon just has lots of cool wordplay that Crain liked while writing his country tunes. Whose to say? Great album either way.
