Comments on: Decade :: Constantines, Tournament of Hearts (2005)

By: Mike D

Mike D — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 15:07:09 +0000

Count me as one of the Cons faithful. Great live band, and they’ve got a fantastic catalog of recorded music. I first saw them on the Shine a Light tour in Ottawa… I left the show with their CD and a new outlook on how live music can be performed. Someone mentioned the Clash in an earlier post, I’d say that comparison is accurate. I’ve since seen the Cons a handful of other times, each show a treasure.

My real reason for posting though is to shine some light (no pun intended) on a Cons side project by guitarist Steve Lambke called Baby Eagle. He has put out two full length albums as baby Eagle which are both great, and has recently released a split LP with Attack in Black where the bands cover each others songs (4 each). There was a limited vinyl release of only 500 copies that are pretty hard to come by, but the MP3s are available at zunior.com
This LP is probably the best piece of music I’ve bought all year … not a dud in the bunch. Check it Out!

http://www.zunior.com/product_info.php?products_id=2407&osCsid=3svmhtirujoem0vpkg2r9b2q72

By: BugsMeany

BugsMeany — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 21:57:19 +0000

Great essay. “Soon Enough” is one of the best songs of decade.

Seconded on both counts.

By: Kaley

Kaley — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 06:21:44 +0000

@ marty — They’re definitely quintessentially Canadian, for reasons yet unknown to me. The majority of the (music obsessive) non-Canadian friends I’ve made through the years have been living Cons-free lives until I came into the picture, which I find harder and harder to believe with each passing day. And don’t worry, as a Canadian resident, you’re sure to see your fair share of Cons shows. I live basically in the middle of nowhere (Saskatchewan) and I’ve seen at least two shows a year for the past five years. As far as I know, Bryan lives in Montreal, so maybe you’ll even catch a Harbour Coats when that picks up, which is hopefully soon.

This video is essential viewing (and what I always use an introduction): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1ayROdpMvY.

Can you tell I love this band? Haha.

By: Arthur2sheds

Arthur2sheds — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:05:38 +0000

I remember Tim Perlich–former music critic for Toronto’s NOW magazine–giving this one star. It just reeked of hipster snootiness, and he drew considerable flack for it.

By: marty

marty — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:38:09 +0000

@ Kaley — Can’t tell you how jealous I am. The only time I’ve seen the Cons was on the Shine a Light tour at a truck stop in Port Allen, Louisiana. I moved to Quebec about four months ago and for the first month and a half that I lived here, they were the only band I listened to. Super-disappointed that they’re not coming to Montreal on this tenth anniversary tour (though I’m impressed that they’re playing in no less than seven different cities in Ontario).

@ All Canadian readers — I get the feeling that the Cons are much more popular here than they are in the States. Is that true? They seem quintessentially Canadian for some reason that I can’t really place…

By: Mike C

Mike C — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:28:54 +0000

I fell in love with the Constantines after seeing them at Great Scott in Boston around the time Shine A Light came out. Sitting and waiting for the subway home, my friend said something like, “if I had that guy’s voice I would just sit in a room and scream so I can listen to myself.” I always thought that was an apt description of just how awesome they are.

By: Forest

Forest — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:24:50 +0000

I’m not one to shoot down any discussion of the Cons. They don’t really inspire indifference – either you know and love them or you don’t know about them at all.

But I’d come out in favor of Kensington Heights every day of the week. Aside from one bad song (“Credit River”) and one nothing song (“I Will Not Sing A Hateful Song”), I think it’s their best and most mature record by miles.

By: Kaley

Kaley — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 04:10:19 +0000

I’ve been waiting for this day — an AD post about my favourite band — for what seems like forever. Great write-up, too.

Their debut is my favourite release of the decade, and Shine a Light is somewhere in my top ten, but this gem isn’t too far behind. “Soon Enough” still floors me, even after hundreds of listens. Always loved their album covers (especially this one), too.

I’ve seen the band live over a dozen times and they never fail to blow me away. I’m catching a couple of their 10th anniversary shows in December and I can’t wait. I’m still yet to catch them playing as Horsey Craze, though.

By: scott

scott — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:39:32 +0000

seen – ON – them

By: scott

scott — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:39:14 +0000

this is easily the best write up i’ve seen them!!! i completely agree. the constantines have been a favorite of mine since i first saw them in toronto many years ago before the first lp came out. their live shows are beyond incredible and they are some of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. also, i happen to think kensington heights is amazing.

By: j.crosby

j.crosby — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:35:44 +0000

Man, great pick. A band I’ve certainly neglected. Really enjoyed this one.

By: Glenn

Glenn — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:03:15 +0000

“THE decade,” rather.

By: Glenn

Glenn — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:02:54 +0000

Great essay. “Soon Enough” is one of the best songs of decade.

By: Kramer

Kramer — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:57:46 +0000

A great write-up on an incredible record from a great band. While the ones who talk about it may be few, we will be talking about what this band did this decade for some time.

While the albums that bookend their decade (S/T and “Kensington Heights”) are sub-par compared to the mastery of Shine A Light and Tournament of Hearts, the four (and only) records Constantines released this decade stack up against most any other bands 2000’s output, at least in my book.

I first saw Constantines at the Long Beach itteration of ATP, where they really blew me away. Bruce Springsteen was not the immediate parallel, rather The Clash was in many senses, and I walked away with Shine A Light in hand.

What is very interesting is that like you speak about in Soon Enough, likewise Shine A Light had “On To You” – a track marked by interesting harmonies and their trademark hard but soft feel.

Also to be noted: their fantastic cover of “Thank You For Sending Me An Angel”