Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Good Followup to a Great Album: ***1/2, May 25, 2006
Sam Roberts' previous release, "We Were Born in a Flame", was a piece of pop near-perfection, bursting with hooks, and one of the best releases of 2003. This CD is a worthy followup, but frankly, I miss the impeccable production of "Flame", which won three Juno Awards in Roberts' native Canada. This album has a much more rough-around-the-edges feel to it, more of a hard-rock style, and Roberts often sounds like he's shouting over his own guitar. He balances these, though, with some very affecting folkier tunes. As expected, there are well-crafted and well-written songs contained here, like "With a Bullet" and "American Draft Dodger in Thunder Bay", but not as many memorable melodies as in the aforementioned "Flame". Still, there's no doubt he's one of the best artists coming out of Canada these days - I still don't understand why "Flame" was all but ignored here in the States, despite a re-release last year, and the minor success of the song "Brother Down". I've heard his band did a killer set at this year's South by Southwest music conference. Maybe with a little promotion, more of us Yanks will pay some well-deserved attention to this guy and his band.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Really Good, July 29, 2006
Alright, I haven't heard the vast majority of Sam Robert's previous album, and most people cite that as far superior. Maybe that one is better than "Chemical City." But, I do know that "Chemical City" is an amazing album, and what I wish more pop groups would do. See, I enjoy pop music like this. It's catchy, but not over produced, intelligent, not stupid or lame. Sam can sing, and the musicianship is just right. It's catchy, but not overtly trying to be, like, say, every pop star on the radio. A good album from a definite talent.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Don't Let the Title Discourage You, May 18, 2006
Excellent follow-up to We Were Born in a Flame. This one is a bit of a concept album but not in an annoying or repetitive way. Roberts is really coming into his own as one of Canada's best contemporary - rock songwriters.
Some great tunes on this one. Favourite songs include "Bridge To Nowhere" and "With a Bullet", but "An American Draft Dodger in Thunder Bay", "Mystified, Heavy", "The Gate", "Mind Flood" and "The Resistence" are also great tunes. Kick-back and enjoy Chemical City.
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by Sam Roberts 
