We Were Born In A Flame

Review

(Universal)
Release Date: 06/17/2003 12:00

He’s got big, soulful eyes, hails from Canada, does a creditable Bob Dylan impression and makes power-pop as cheery as it is thinky — what’s not to like? Call Sam Roberts’s first full-length album bubblegum folk or hi-NRG roadhouse rock; these shiny, strummy songs are a breath of fresh air in a world gone mopey. Roberts has all the rock stances down, from rebellion (“On the Run”) to pseudo-psychedelia (“Taj Mahal”) to lurve-pop (“Don’t Walk Away Eileen”), and he puts them over with impressive melodic punch. The versatility is a small drawback — over 13 songs, the album occasionally sounds like the product of the cover band Roberts used to head up — but fine songcraft wins the day.

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