Without doubt or qualification, The Sadies are one of this continent’s greatest extant rock ’n’ roll bands — just as they have been for the last quarter-century. Versatile and imaginative, they skip from astral psychedelia to shuffling bucolics and leap from puckish pop to righteous garage-rock without losing momentum or mastery. Their albums deliver masterclasses on pointed songwriting, lockstep harmonies, and a devil-may-care attitude to expectations and past successes.  

Colder Streams is the sound of everything coming together for The Sadies. Long confident that the result of their recordings is far more important than adhering to any schedules or deadlines – they took their time on this one. The songs here are ambitious and accomplished. Having had that extra time to grow benefited these tracks, and they stand up alongside any of their earlier work.  As Mike Stax of Ugly Things Magazine once opined “Most bands only get worse with age – much, much worse – The Sadies continue to confound us by getting better and better”. This record is pure Sadie – as the band has long referred to itself. From the moment “Stop and Start” blasts out of your speakers like some long-lost nuggets monster, through the cinematic closer “End Credits,” it’s the sound of an experienced, confident band at the peak of their powers.  You will hear a new favourite song with nearly every spin. The pandemic offered The Sadies the gift of time and the opportunity to record comfortably with Producer Richard Reed Parry (Arcade Fire/Belle Orchestre) at his Montreal studio. The ease of working with their dear friend helped create what Richard feels “is The Sadies’ finest album and the one I always hoped they’d make one day.” The recording was ably assisted by engineers Pietro Amato at Richard’s Skybarn Studio, and Mike Dubue for the two songs tracked at his Studio Cimetière.  Jon Spencer contributed guitar to a track, as well as Dallas and Travis’ parents, Bruce and Margaret Good, adding autoharp and backing vocals respectively. Once finished, the band were eager to get out and play in support of this new album.  Tour plans were already well underway when the devastating news of Dallas’ unexpected death on February 17, 2022, stopped everything in its tracks. Needing music to help process and heal, Travis worked out new arrangements for many of the Colder Streams tracks. This labour of love had him combine both his and Dallas’ guitar parts, as well as tackling vocals for all these songs by himself.  Travis, Mike and Sean convened to see if it might be possible to play some of these songs without Dallas, making no bets on whether that would be successful, and agreeing to leave it alone if it didn’t seem right to do it. After three days of rehearsal, the band felt it appropriate, cathartic even – to continue playing.  This decision to play both to honour Dallas’ memory and to promote the release of the album that supporters had waited so long to hear. Performing these shows was a positive and healing experience for all involved and helped the band realize that they want to continue doing this as long as it feels right. At the JUNO Awards in Edmonton in March of 2023, The Sadies won the JUNO for Colder Streams for Adult Alternative Album of The Year, a proud but bittersweet moment for the band.  Most recently Colder Streams made the Polaris Music Prize Short List for 2023. Extensive touring continues, honouring the legacy of what Dallas created, ensuring that the huge body of work they made together is kept alive and out there for loyal fans and new that have yet to discover this amazing band.

Greg Dinwoodie 2023
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