Sightseer – What Tomorrow Brings
The place where the wind from the plains hits the shadow of the mountains can be searing hot one moment then turn to a sudden chill the next, this is where the music of Sightseer lives. The Seattle five piece Americana / Alt Country band is lead by Calgary Chanteuse PA Mathison, whose throaty alto draws you deep into her siren songs of love, loss, reflection and redemption on top of a full throttle heartland sound as big as all outdoors. The eleven strong songs are reminiscent of cow punk pioneers Lone Justice or a beefed up Cowboy Junkies, employing equal parts torch and twang of gritty guitars from Jason Lightfoot and soaring Fiddle and keys from Jason Welling.
The haunting vulnerable vocals of Mathison are always in focus as she confronts a lover on the stirring “What If I,” shouts for a sexy rebellion on “Ruin Me and calls for revenge on “Read It and Weep,” then reflects on a bittersweet homecoming in “Athabasca.” The clever twisty word play of “Patsy Cline,” re-casts the country icon as Alice for a playful psychedelic groove into wonderland, and then the pop sensibility of “Miss You Much,” brings us back with a kick in the pants. Mathison closes with a circle of life benediction the “Biggest Storms,” proclaiming “who knows what tomorrow brings,” but one thing is for certain, when this album gets the attention it deserves it will bring great things for her and Sightseer.
Rick J Bowen
http://sightseer.bandcamp.com/
