Leeroy Stagger
Dream It All Away
(Rebeltone Records)
4/5
Victoria’s Leeroy Stagger is now on his tenth album, a landmark achievement for any singer/songwriter, so it’s pretty cool that Stagger, now based one province over in Alberta, has managed to make it this far.
And it’s not without reason: Stagger’s take on foot-stomping roots rock is a fully infectious one, the man working best when he’s pulling in a bit, such as on the very Paul Westerberg-ish “Happy Too,” a great melancholy-yet-upbeat tune (and any song that is very Paul Westerberg-ish is a good one).
Here, Stagger is backed up with folks who have played with Bryan Adams, The Odds, kd lang, and Jann Arden, so the playing is rock solid all around. But it’s not so much about the playing: most of the instruments and the players quietly do their thing while Stagger’s understated voice and, most importantly, excellent songwriting shine through. They shine hard on Dream It All Away.
