Alberta CrossOn their second album, Songs Of Patience, British soul rockers Alberta Cross go for a polished sound focusing on succinct riffs and guitar hooks, whilst still strongly emphasising frontman Petter Ericson Stakee's eerie vocal melodies. The album opens with current single Magnolia, a bass-driven exploration of euphoria, built upon a singular acoustic guitar, with musical layers building the intensity as the song progresses. Lay Down cruises ever so gently and is a sparse-sounding track, with minimal instrumentation being used as the focus is put back onto the song's barest essentials.
And whilst sonically this album is leaps and bounds on its predecessor Broken Side Of Time, the tracks have a similar energy and there are some upbeat rock-inspired numbers – Wasteland and Money For The Weekend are both catchy and present the band's edgier sound. And there are some Bob Dylan moments with the country-tinged acoustic guitar-based Life Without Warning, and emotionally-drenched Bonfire solely comprised of an acoustic guitar with a splattering of vocal harmonies and piano for good measure. However, it is becoming more and more evident that bands are putting their most creative and catchiest number at the end of the album, and Wait, complete with Smiths-era bass line and a determined and fragile vocal delivery, closes what is a diverse album.
Alberta Cross have further added to their mystique, which they successfully developed on their first album. Having the confidence to not dress Songs Of Patience as a rock record complete with dirty guitars, is a testament to the band's determination to explore new depths and sound textures. The overall result is simply eargasmic.
