Sometimes an artist delivers music that is just comfortable – and by comfortable, think Middle America along the lines of Mellencamp, Springsteen, and Petty. Jody Raffoul is one of those artists (but shhhh! He’s Canadian), though he has managed to stay under everyone’s radar. This, despite the fact that if he came around 20 or 30 years ago, we might be mentioning him in the same breath as those other guys. The latest evidence is Big Sky, another album from Mr. Raffoul with anthems, big hooks, signature rock vocal, and soaring guitars. Right from the start, “Chasing Paper” is like an AC/DC song with vocals an octave lower, and “Stay” as well as “It’s Grand” also have some really nice guitar work and sugary melodies. Raffoul also does nice work when he turns the volume down, as he does on “Little Black Car” and, to a lesser extent, “My My,” which features lush, Beatle-esque harmonies in the chorus. There are a few disappointments, such as “Home,” which is heartfelt but a bit bland. But as a whole, Raffoul the Canadian delivers another sweet slice of American pie on this effort. (Fontana 2008)
