(Six Shooter, 2008)

Shamefully, aside from a few key tracks I never really got into Elliott Brood’s last album, Ambassador. That said, “The Bridge” was just so damn awesome that I vowed to reserve judgement. In that regard it’s time to take another listen, as the Toronto “death-country” outfit are back this week with the release of Mountain Meadows, their sophomore full-length.

So what’s the verdict? Let’s just say I’ll be revisiting Ambassador to see what I missed, as this new album leaves me wondering what could possibly have possessed me to doubt them in the first place. Scrappy and driven from start to finish, Mountain Meadows is the rustic and grassroots sound of dirt under your heels.

Standout tracks like the unstoppable “Garden River” and the serene and smooth whiskey-in-a-bottle vibe of “Without Again” assure that I’ll be coming back time and again.  Add to that the ridiculously catchy album-closer, “Miss You Now,” and any lingering residue of my previous doubts about Elliott Brood have been tossed aside with the tumbleweeds.

Of course, don’t let the mention of a few key tracks lead you to believe that the others aren’t worth namedropping, as that couldn’t be farther from the truth.  Actually, if you ask me, the idea of “standouts” is something that doesn’t gel with Mountain Meadows, as the entire album is coated in an effervescent grit that is best experienced as a whole.

All told, it’s the sort of release that makes me lament having taken so long coming around to Elliott Brood in the first place. Don’t follow in my footsteps—avoid the shameful hemming and hawing and kick up some dust with this great Toronto band as soon as you can.

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Elliott Brood - Miss You Now

Hear more at the band’s Myspace page or grab a digital copy of the album here.