Canyon - S/T - Slowdime

Review by: Chris Boehk

Brandon Butler of Boy's Life/The Farewell Bend fame is back and he's sad. Really sad. This band sounds very little like B.B.'s previous efforts. The closest thing Canyon sounds like is the second Boy's Life record and that's really stretching it...a lot. The only reason I make that reference is that both records possess a very minimal, spatial quality.

When I first heard there was something new from ex-Boy's Life, Kerosene 454, and Crownhate Ruin folks, I was really excited, because I liked those bands a lot. Then I heard the new outing was country. Mmmmm...no, this isn't really country. That too would be stretching it a lot. The slide guitar and sad, personal lyrics put this heavy on the country side, Johnny Cash style, but its not country all the way. Its just good. Real good.

This album flows from one sad song to the next, thoughtful, personal, and quiet. Occasionally, there are some louder parts, which mainly consist of tortured singing, acoustic strumming, and sporadic drumming. There's a story to be told within this record, its a sad story, and the message is subtle, and it makes you wonder what is going on in this guy's life to make him spill his guts like this.

Canyon's debut CD is a must-have for fans of Brandon Butler's vocal stylings and powerful guitar playing.