They’re not from Canada, but with a name like Alberta Cross, you’re thinking Canuck more than Londoner. Top that with a sound that finds comparison to other famous Canadians, and you might as well put the maple leaf on the cover of The Thief & the Heartbreaker.
Alberta Cross is like the Band (predominantly Canadian) with a jam country, blissed out feel. Then Petter Ericson Stakee’s vocals have the falsetto of Canadian Neil Young—making a connection to Bon Iver who also have tapped into Young’s vocal sound although Alberta Cross takes a more straight forward approach. For that jam country feel, the best comparison may be the Antiques.
The Thief & the Heartbreaker really rises up a notch with “Old Man Chicago,” a great lyric (“living life if only”) with a driving rhythm and sing-along gang vocals.
Alberta Cross
Geffen Records
Ark Recordings
