THE CLUMSY LOVERS"SMART KID"
JUN 7, 2005
2004-2005
NETTWERK
REVIEW
by James Christopher Monger
On their seventh record (second to garner a non-local release), Vancouver's Clumsy Lovers have hit the sweet spot with their signature blend of irreverent folk-rock and progressive country. Smart Kid is what Barenaked Ladies might have sounded like had they continued in the vein of Gordon instead of pandering to MTV. It's goofy, earnest, meticulously crafted, and expertly played, with echoes of early Camper Van Beethoven and Spirit of the West. That earnestness keeps less comedic numbers like "Coming Home" and "Not Long for This World" from turning into sentimental filler and helps make offbeat numbers such as "Bobby Banjo," "Cock of the North," and the Celtic and reggae-infused "London Bridge" actually work. The Clumsy Lovers have managed to nail down the often intangible feel of a truly congenial, inclusive, and well-attended club show, and it's a testament to their authenticity that it comes off without a hint of pretense.
1 Bobby Banjo 3:25
2 Save for You 3:55
3 Coming Home (Arends, Jonat, Jonat) 2:27
4 London Bridge 3:44
5 Stand Up 3:07
6 Smart Kid 3:00
7 People I've Been Meaning to Thank (Rogers) 2:09
8 Better Days 3:45
9 Okay Alright 3:47
10 Cock of the North (Lewis, Traditional) 3:08
11 Don't Worry (Rogers) 2:58
12 Clumsy Love Intro 0:44
13 This Is Clumsy Love 2:46
14 Rockefeller (Jonat, Rogers) 2:46
15 Not Long for This World 6:38
Tracks by Jonat except 3, 7, 10, 11, 14
FORMED 2000 In Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
BIOGRAPHY
by Johnny Loftus
The group of musicians that eventually formed the Clumsy Lovers didn't really intend to start a band. They'd just play out around their home base of Vancouver, spinning their folky, often riotous take on rock in pubs, basements, and backyard parties. But people noticed and starting clamoring for more than just the weekend gigging, and the band was officially born. Between 2000 and 2002 the Clumsy Lovers self-released a series of recordings that blended their Celtic, bluegrass, and rock influences. Still, they were primarily a live band. That changed with 2004's After the Flood, which they made in a studio for a label (the Canadian powerhouse Nettwerk). The similarly studio-crafted Smart Kid followed a year later, and the Clumsy Lovers supported it with a lengthy tour schedule. By that point the band's lineup had solidified around vocalist and bassist Chris Joad, flame-fingered fiddler Andrea Lewis, guitarist and harmonica player Trevor Rogers, banjoist Jason Horney, and drummer Gord Robert.
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