Chemical City

Chemical City is the second album by Canadian artist Sam Roberts. The album is full of roots/folk rock that sound quite similar to New Model Army and other early 1970s bands. If the release date was not stated here as 2006, I certainly would have guessed a wrong year. That is also the problem as nothing on this album shows anything of the progression rock music has made in the decennia after the 1970s. The songs and performances are fine, though “Uprising Down Under” could use another take on the vocals. All in all this album is a bit forgettable as this is done so many times before.

Soundly executed rock in the vein of artists like Steve Miller, Byrds, particularly Tom Petty, but it doesn't feel particularly derivative. Very good in fact, lyrically interesting. There are a couple relative clunkers but overall strong. I'd be interested in hearing more of this artist.

Had to seek this out on YouTube since it was no where to be found on Apple Music. Decent album, didn’t change my life or anything but I didn’t mind it.

Canada I love you, but why the hell is every single Canadian album I've listened to on this list the most generic, inoffensive rock ever put to tape.

Enjoyed this, reminded me of someone but I had far too much to drink last night and I can't remember anything about yesterday.

This for some reason is not an Apple Music USA but out of solidarity for Canada I sought it out on YouTube and guess what it rules

Sometimes Chemical City is bang average indie/roots rock, sometimes it gets quite good and finds a groove that's interesting and takes me somewhere. Mind Flood was great and reminded me a bit of some Gaslight Anthem, and the closing track is stripped back to expose the vocals and the emotion in the story and works well, so there is skill and interest here, I think there's just too much middle of the road stuff that does nothing for it to leave a proper lasting impression, so it's only a high 2. I wonder if his music got better as he went on, this is early in his career apparently and I think it might show.

Didn’t hate, didn’t immediately love.

Generic

This was fine.

Surprisingly decent

One of the not-often discussed joys of living in the greater Detroit area is that our radios pick up Canadian stations. All the best music snobs in high school preferred 89X and CBC radio Windsor to the American stations. Anyway this album sounded like what those stations played. I can practically hear each track being introduced by dj Rich Terfry

Adequate Canadian rock. Didn't offend me, but wasn't particularly exciting. A low three.

Above average Indie Rock.

Pretty good

Good lord this is a dull record. Like, it makes the plod of Oasis feel lively. I listened to it, but the only thing that stuck was the line "as deep as the rain". Rain isn't deep? It bothered me while 20 minutes of music happened. Between Mariana Trench, Onerepublic and this, I am starting to feel like we've hit the limit of good albums, and I have now entered a world of trolling from the dreck that's getting turned up.

I liked this album quite a lot

It's fine. My personal rating: 3/5 My rating relative to the list: 3/5 Should this have been included on the original list? No.

Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Bridge to nowhere, Uprising down under

Generic, bland early-aughts rock? Not sure why this is a must listen before you die, sounds like every other radio-friendly album of the time.

Pleasant enough, but not overly memorable once it passed. Sounds like a support act for a band I would probably really like, if that makes sense. A solid 3

Rock, roots rock. Ni fu ni fa.