The Stickmen (Bernie Labarge on lead vocals and guitars, Brent Barkman on keyboards and background vocals, Gene Falbo on bass and former Downchild drummer Jim Casson) are joined here by Juno award-winning vocalist Cassandra Vasik, who has lent her versatile chops to more than a few high-profile bands, Blue Rodeo and the Rankin Family, just to name a couple.
Bernie LaBarge, who won a 1984 Juno award for Most Promising Male Vocalist, as well as a Canadian Songwriting Contest award for his Daniel Lanois-produced d�but CD, Bargin' In, has an equally lengthy musical "rap sheet", including guitar credits for the Fragglerock and Care Bears theme songs (two of my own sons' favourite TV shows when they were young). Speaking of vocals, Bernie's are so similar to those of Don Henley (The Eagles) that it was actually a bit distracting. That being said, if Mr. Henley ever gets "writer's block", he need look no further than Mr. LaBarge and Mr. Barkman for inspirational resources.
Brent Barkman is a Canne award-winner for the Canadian Tire short film, Bike Story, and has also recorded with the much-lauded Horse Flies, Seals and Crofts, Buffy Saint-Marie, Jimmy Rankin, and Aretha Franklin.
Bassist Gene Falbo, founder of Jackson Hawke, has also played with Sylvia Tyson, Dan Hill, Cassandra Vasik, Charlie Major, George Fox, and many more. The six radio-friendly tracks are solidly written and tightly performed, with "Let's Do This Thang" being the showcase track for these all-star players.
There is also an incendiary blues-rock instrumental ("WGAF") closing the set, which is limiting only in its brevity.
LaBarge and Barkman did a fine job on the production and arrangements as well, creating a fine balance in the instrumentation. It's a top-notch collaboration that shows what teamwork can accomplish - I look forward to hearing Side Two from the Stickmen!
