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
4
new
SPILL MUSIC PREMIERE: THE CLAMOR – “CARDIAC SOUNDTRACK”/”TURING TOY”
SPILL MUSIC PREMIERE: THE UTOPIATES – “MAKING HISTORY”
SPILL FEATURE: DOING THINGS DIFFERENTLY – A CONVERSATION WITH TONY PERRY OF PIERCE THE VEIL
SPILL NEW MUSIC: GORD DOWNIE AND BOB ROCK RELEASE MONUMENTAL NEW SONG “THE MOMENT IS A WILD PLACE” VIA ARTS & CRAFTS
  • 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
277
previous article
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: PAINTED PALMS - HORIZONS
next article
SPILL LIVE REVIEW: THE HARPOONIST AND THE AXE MURDERER @ THE HORSESHOE TAVERN, TORONTO

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: LAKES OF CANADA – TRANSGRESSIONS

Lakes Of Canada

Lakes Of Canada
Transgressions
Independent
RATING

Remembering Kathleen Smith.

Forged from the tragic death of Jake Smith’s mother Kathleen Smith in 2010, Montreal’s Lakes of Canada craft their second progressive / pop / folk / gospel infused album with The Handmaid’s Tale-like inspiration, in the form of Transgressions. If you’re into Margaret Atwood, then this album will be up your alley. If not, you can still read on and give it a listen as bearded band members Jake Smith, Conor O’Neil, Tim Dobby, Greg Halpin, and Sarah Morasse (non bearded) weave fiction and non fiction textures together to bring us a wondrous musical tableau.

The collection starts off on the right footing with “Eden,” a slow, mournful burn that is sprinkled with acapella. The brisk walk continues with “The Fall,” providing a nice juxtaposition between O’Neil’s marching drums blaring against frontman Smith’s haunting falsetto. Synths are at the forefront in “Interlude 1” which then takes our hand to guide us into the Ambassador X-esque chanting of the “Handmaid’s Tale.” The organ then takes center stage with “Interlude 2.” “The Sons of Gilead” is a gem of a tune on the album with its galloping guitar / western theme. One would also particularly enjoy “The Handmaid’s Tale 2” as the instruments are showcased through the flute and guitar. Sarah’s paired voice with Jake gives us shivers throughout this track.

With the Lakes of Canada actually being from Canada (suck on that, Boards of Canada), we can appreciate one of our own (while being reminded of Margaret Atwood in the backdrop) with the ebbs and flow of this album. We start off as a mourning eulogy which then takes us through a complex journey of oppression, misogyny and violence against women. Trangressions lights the way on a dark path; listeners will enjoy the concept album’s harmonies / melodies and instrumentals steeped in religious / gospel musicianship. An admirable effort.

Band Links:

band websitefbTwitter-iconsoundcloud iconyoutube

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: LAKES OF CANADA – TRANSGRESSIONS

Author

Chris X

Here's what we think...
Spill Rating
Fan Rating
Rate Here
New Criteria
10
—
8.0
Total Spill Rating
—
Total Fan Rating
You have rated this
Album Reviews
album reviewslakes of canadatransgressions
album reviews, lakes of canada, transgressions
About the Author
Chris X
Insert pretentious stuff about me here. I was born at a very young age. I am pretty, funny... without the comma. Easily distracte
RELATED ARTICLES
album 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
10

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
10
 
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
2330
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE HUMAN LEAGUE – THE VIRGIN YEARS
1835
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: ELVIS PRESLEY – ELVIS ON TOUR
839
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: SHRIEKBACK – BOWLAHOOLA
772
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: BOB DYLAN – FRAGMENTS – TIME OUT OF MIND SESSIONS (1996-1997) THE BOOTLEG SERIES VOL. 17
581
 
SPILL NEWS: RICKIE LEE JONES NEVER DID FOLLOW THE RULES | ‘PIECES OF TREASURE’ OUT APRIL 28 (BMG MODERN)
528
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: CHEAP TRICK – LIVE AT THE WHISKY 1977
498
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: DAVID CROSBY & THE LIGHTHOUSE BAND – LIVE AT THE CAPITAL THEATRE
361
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: NAZZ – LOST MASTERS & DEMOS
335
 
SPILL MUSIC PREMIERE: GRAMERCY ARMS – “YESTERDAY’S GIRL” FT. LLOYD COLE
321
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: LITTLE RIVER BAND – ULTIMATE HITS/MASTERPIECES
320
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JOAN ARMATRADING – LIVE AT ASYLUM CHAPEL
312
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: RINGO STARR AND HIS ALL-STARR BAND – LIVE AT THE GREEK THEATRE 2019
268
ENTERTAINMENT HEADLINES