(Arts & Crafts, April 15, 2008)

This is it folks—Kensington Heights—the release we’ve all been waiting for, or at least the one I’ve been waiting for. What can I say, I’ve been eagerly anticipating the new Constantines album since it was announced. Of course, these days “waiting” is a relative term, as this album in particular has been available online since the new year. That said, there’s nothing like the warm and fuzzies of holding the physical copy in your hands, which is one of the reasons why I’ve held off giving my thoughts on the album until closer to the official date.

Cutting right to the meat of the issue, is it good? Damn straight. Does it stand up to repeated listens? Definitely. If you ask me, this fourth outing is a definite step up from 2005’s Tournament of Hearts and may even reach similar…well…heights, so to speak, as their excellent 2003 release, Shine a Light.

Put it this way, Kensington Heights is a rounded release that knows when to rock—ie, right out of the gate on the unstoppable “Hard Feelings”—but bolsters the high-octane instant gratification with a healthy dose of slow growers—“Time Can Be Overcome,” for instance. Personally, I find the album at its most enjoyable when it manages to combine the two approaches in crescendoing epics like “Trans Canada” (a terrific tune that makes me think of Hulk Hogan every time: “I had that vision, brother. The one about you, brother.” —what’cha gonna do, brother?). Other highlights include the warmth of “Our Age” (which online forums are calling this album’s “Soon Enough”), the driven rhythm of “Brother Run Them Down,” and the subtle and intoxicating power of “New King.”

Baby Eagle fans might feel slighted that Steve Lambke only has one lead-vocal appearance on Kensington Heights (the cacophonous “Shower of Stones”), but I’d wager that Cons supporters would rather hear Bry Webb anyway.

All told, I’ve had a few months to warm up to this release, but I probably didn’t need more than a few listens. Constantines fans rejoice.

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Check out my favourite track from Kensington Heights below:

The Constantines - Trans Canada

Hear more at the band’s Myspace page and check out The Constantines live at the Phoenix on May 1. You can buy a digital copy of Kensington Heights here.