Yukon Blonde, an indie/rock band from Kelowna, British Columbia, started off as Alphababy and made their comeback in 2009 with a new band name. Their newest album as Yukon Blonde is called Tiger Talk and can be recognized by their first single "Stairway," a song that is being played on most indie/rock radio stations.
The album begins with "My Girl," an interesting choice for an opening song. Personally, I think a track like "Stairway" would've been an excellent and more suited introduction to the album, due to the fact that they mixed several aspects of the rock genre and compiled it into a creative track that introduced listeners to something new. The voice of Jeff Innes, the lead singer, isn't all unique, but incorporates a familiarity to other bands of the same genre. Some may even say his vocal sound can be related to Jesse Hughes from the Eagles of Death Metal or even Ewan Currie of the Sheepdogs at times.
"Oregon Shores" and "Six Dead Tigers" are other tracks that stood out from the album. One of these songs would be a great follow-up single for them to release, since they are both upbeat and would meet expectations from listeners after just having heard “Stairway.”
Although Yukon Blonde has a certain sound that isn't original to the indie/rock listener’s ear, the album brings forth some great qualities that make it a good listen and can be used as an album that is played from beginning to end during something like a BBQ or road trip.
“Sweet Dee” was a great choice as a closing song for the album. Most of the songs off of Tiger Talk are fun and upbeat, while the last track ends the album with a soft and almost melancholy note that is unexpected for a final song.
Overall, the album didn’t meet my expectations after having heard “Stairway” as their first single. I was anticipating an album that would have more songs with a catchy chorus along with the interesting instrumental accompaniment. It’s great for a few run-throughs, but nothing special.
