The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
  • Reviews
    • Album Reviews
    • Features
    • Live Reviews
    • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • Headlines
    • News
    • Contests
    • Events
    • Entertainment Headlines
    • Concert Listings
    • Toronto Concert Venues
  • New Music
    • Premieres
    • Track Of The Day
  • Track Of The Month
  • Books + Movies
  • About
16
new
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: H.C. McENTIRE – EVERY ACRE
SPILL NEW MUSIC: BODYWASH ANNOUNCES NEW ALBUM ‘I HELD THE SHAPE WHILE I COULD’ + SHARES NEW SINGLE
SPILL NEW MUSIC: THE BOO RADLEYS RELEASE NEW SINGLE AHEAD OF NEW ALBUM
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JERRY LEGER – LIVE FROM PARADISE
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: BOB DYLAN – FRAGMENTS – TIME OUT OF MIND SESSIONS (1996-1997) THE BOOTLEG SERIES VOL. 17
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MARIANNE FAITHFULL – KISSIN’ TIME (REISSUE)
SPILL NEWS: YOUNG THE GIANT ANNOUNCES NORTH AMERICAN TOUR WITH MILKY CHANCE STARTING MAY 30
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: TEARING UP – “SAID SOMETHING”
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: EDNA FRAU – “ON THE LONG RUN”
SPILL MUSIC PREMIERE: GHOST LOVE – “MOURNERS DISCO”
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: KEVIN MORBY – MUSIC FROM MONTANA STORY
SPILL NEW MUSIC: SUBWAY TO SALLY SETS SAIL WITH SECOND SINGLE “LEINEN LOS” + UNVEILS ANIMATED OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO
SPILL MUSIC PREMIERE: UNIVERSAL HONEY – “TIME BLINDNESS”
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: THE NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY – “IN YOUR EYES”
SPILL NEWS: ALEXISONFIRE ANNOUNCE TORONTO PERFORMANCE JUNE 16 AT BUDWEISER STAGE WITH SPECIAL GUESTS PUP AND METZ
SPILL NEWS: PUBLIC IMAGE LTD RELEASE VIDEO FOR NEW SONG “HAWAII” | GROUP WILL COMPETE TO REPRESENT IRELAND AT EUROVISION 2023
  • Reviews
    • Album Reviews
    • Features
    • Live Reviews
    • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • Headlines
    • News
    • Contests
    • Events
    • Entertainment Headlines
    • Concert Listings
    • Toronto Concert Venues
  • New Music
    • Premieres
    • Track Of The Day
  • Track Of The Month
  • Books + Movies
  • About
  • Spill Menu
    • Reviews
      • Album Reviews
      • Features
      • Live Reviews
      • Festivals
    • Portraits
    • Headlines
      • News
      • Contests
      • Events
      • Entertainment Headlines
      • Concert Listings
      • Toronto Concert Venues
    • New Music
      • Premieres
      • Track Of The Day
    • Track Of The Month
    • Books + Movies
    • About
Album Reviews
3
1065
previous article
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: CATHAL COUGHLAN - SONG OF CO-AKLAN
next article
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: LAMB OF GOD - LAMB OF GOD (DELUXE VERSION)

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: IAN McNABB – UTOPIAN

Ian McNabb

Ian McNabb
Utopian
Fairfield Records

Utopian is Ian McNabb’s 20th studio album, and his first since 2019’s Our Future In Space. The man is certainly prolific and extremely talented. McNabb has produced some incredible music over the past 30 years since The Icicle Works called it a day as a recording unit. Utopian is a double album full of melodic, rocking, and unusual rock songs. It is also McNabb’s best album.

McNabb has never disappointed and he has been able to build on everything he has learned, developed and created over the years. On Utopian, McNabb continues this growth and he approaches this album as he has always approached his music, with a great deal of care and intensity.

Intensity, in that he is not afraid  to express an opinion. “No One Tells A Lie Like  A Dude With A Tie” is a case in point. Great title, and the song lives up to that title. Musically it is melodic and instantly accessible. Lyrically, he has a lot to say and gets right to the point, which is, those in power tell lies to manipulate those of us without the power. An old sentiment, yes, but in McNabb’s hands it becomes something totally new and inspirational.

Elsewhere on the album, one finds a tribute to Harry Dean Stanton (“Harry Dean Stanton”), spiritual songs (“Great Spirit”), enjoying life (“We’re Never Gonna Grow up”), and so much more. The album opens with the song “Boy”, which sets the stage for what is going to follow. McNabb gives advice to himself (or a younger artist) and in doing so has created an incredible moving work, much like the rest of the album.

McNabb knows how to turn a phrase and he is able to express himself in a very original manner. And he is able to set these incredible thoughts and poetry to songs that rattle in your head, long after the album is complete and placed safely back in its sleeve.

McNabb’s voice has never sounded better, and his guitar work is fantastic. He has some help with the album, but this is his work, his statement and his view. Utopian is full of great rock songs, and like the great albums of the past, there is a great deal of variety. He can move from hard driving songs to melodic ballads with ease, which makes this a very enjoyable listening experience. Utopian is a brilliant album, and McNabb has managed to create his own Utopia in his world with this album.



Artist Links

website_flat_2016 facebook_flat_2016 twitter_flat_2016

close

STAY UP-TO-DATE
WITH OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER!

* Mandatory Field

Check your inbox or spam folder now (just in case!) to confirm your subscription.

Item Reviewed

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: IAN McNABB – UTOPIAN

Author

Aaron Badgley

Here's what we think...
Spill Rating
Fan Rating
Rate Here
New Criteria
10
8.4
8.0
Total Spill Rating
8.4
Total Fan Rating
17 ratings
You have rated this
Album Reviews
album reviewalbum reviewsfairfield recordsharry dean stantonian mcnabbno one tells a lie like a dude with a tiethe icicle worksutopian
album review, album reviews, fairfield records, harry dean stanton, ian mcnabb, no one tells a lie like a dude with a tie, the icicle works, utopian
About the Author
Aaron Badgley
Born and raised in Whitby, Aaron discovered music through his love of The Beatles. This led to a career in radio, writing for various publications, and ultimately a radio show about The Beatles (Beatles Universe), which ran for over four years. When not immersed in music, Aaron enjoys spending time with the loves of his life -- his wife Andrea, and daughters Emily and Linda (all of whom have an intense love of music too).
RELATED ARTICLES
album reviewalbum reviews
 
8.0
H.C. McEntire

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: H.C. McENTIRE – EVERY ACRE

by Ljubinko Zivkovic on January 27, 2023
H.C. McEntire Every Acre Merge Records Durham, North Carolina might not exactly be a renowned music center, but that there is quite a good chance that singer-songwriter H.C. McEntire and her latest release, Every Acre, might give that city a [...]
 
8.0
Jerry Leger

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JERRY LEGER – LIVE FROM PARADISE

by Bryan Williston on January 27, 2023
Jerry Leger Live From Paradise Latent Recordings Toronto singer-songwriter Jerry Leger is one of those artists who does not sit still for too long. With his solid motivation and work ethic, it’s little wonder that he is releasing some choice [...]
 
9.0
Bob Dylan

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: BOB DYLAN – FRAGMENTS – TIME OUT OF MIND SESSIONS (1996-1997) THE BOOTLEG SERIES VOL. 17

by Aaron Badgley on January 27, 2023
Bob Dylan Fragments – Time Out Of Mind Sessions (1996-1997) The Bootleg Series Vol. 17 Legacy/Colombia/Sony Bob Dylan continues his bootleg series with number 17. For this box set, Fragments – Time Out Of Mind Sessions (1996 – [...]
 
8.0
Marianne Faithfull

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MARIANNE FAITHFULL – KISSIN’ TIME (REISSUE)

by Aaron Badgley on January 27, 2023
Marianne Faithfull Kissin’ Time (Reissue) BMG By 2002 Marianne Faithful was eager to return to a more contemporary sound following albums in which she focused on Kurt Weill. These include Weill recording and performing his opera The Seven [...]
 
8.0
Kevin Morby

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: KEVIN MORBY – MUSIC FROM MONTANA STORY

by Ljubinko Zivkovic on January 25, 2023
Kevin Morby Music From Montana Story Dead Oceans If there’s an artist who can come up with a soundtrack for a neo-Western film today, Kevin Morby might not be the usual choice, but just might be a great one. Scott McGehee and David Siegel [...]

Latest Album Reviews
View All
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: H.C. McENTIRE – EVERY ACRE
8.0
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JERRY LEGER – LIVE FROM PARADISE
8.0
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: BOB DYLAN – FRAGMENTS – TIME OUT OF...
9.0
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MARIANNE FAITHFULL – KISSIN’ TIME (...
8.0
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: KEVIN MORBY – MUSIC FROM MONTANA STORY
8.0

STAY UP-TO-DATE
WITH OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER!

* Mandatory Field

Check your inbox or spam folder now (just in case!) to confirm your subscription.

Tweets by @spillmagazine

SPILL MAGAZINE MENU
  • Home | The Spill Magazine
  • Premieres
  • Track Of The Month
  • Album Reviews
  • Books + Movies
  • Features
  • Live Reviews
  • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • News
  • Events
  • Entertainment Headlines
  • Concert Listings
  • Toronto Concert Venues
  • About Us
  • Contests
  • New Music
  • Contributors
  • TOTD
  • Privacy Policy
  • The Scene Unseen
  • Newsletter

Copyright © 2023 | The Spill Magazine
All Rights Reserved.

TRENDING RIGHT NOW
   
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: QUADECA – I DIDN’T MEAN TO HAUNT YOU
2313
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE HUMAN LEAGUE – THE VIRGIN YEARS
1827
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: SHRIEKBACK – BOWLAHOOLA
746
 
SPILL LIVE REVIEW: SUEDE AND MANIC STREET PREACHERS @ THE COMMODORE BALLROOM, VANCOUVER
518
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: CHEAP TRICK – LIVE AT THE WHISKY 1977
490
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: ELVIS PRESLEY – ELVIS ON TOUR
454
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: DAVID CROSBY & THE LIGHTHOUSE BAND – LIVE AT THE CAPITAL THEATRE
336
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: NAZZ – LOST MASTERS & DEMOS
326
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: LITTLE RIVER BAND – ULTIMATE HITS/MASTERPIECES
314
 
SPILL MUSIC PREMIERE: GRAMERCY ARMS – “YESTERDAY’S GIRL” FT. LLOYD COLE
312
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JOAN ARMATRADING – LIVE AT ASYLUM CHAPEL
303
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JEAN-MICHEL JARRE – THE CONCERTS IN CHINA (40th ANNIVERSARY EDITION)
255
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: RINGO STARR AND HIS ALL-STARR BAND – LIVE AT THE GREEK THEATRE 2019
254
ENTERTAINMENT HEADLINES