London-born, Toronto-raised Sutherland is deadly serious. His second album, 2019’s Reckless & Me, was a Top 10 hit and this, his third, is just as solid. These 11 songs, mostly written in lockdown, are a quality mix of mainstream country and broody Americana.
The title track is a country-rock ballad about the street he grew up on, where he had his first job ‑ as a dishwasher in a food court ‑ as well as his first kiss and first fight.
Reflective Springsteen-like piano ballad Country Jail Gate was partly inspired by his time in prison. Kiefer, 55, served three terms behind bars ‑ most recently in 2007 ‑ and has a well-deserved reputation as a hard-drinking, hard-brawling womaniser. No wonder he sounds so world weary.
Sutherland is entirely capable of writing gentle, upbeat songs though. Down The Line is an addictively perky and uplifting country pop duet sung with Eleanor Whitmore of New York alt-country duo The Mastersons.
So Full Of Love could have been written for FM radio. The opening riff recalls Lynyrd Skynyrd and the verse Dire Straits, while the chorus is as huge as Hulk Hogan in a 10-gallon hat. He even heads into country-funk on Goodbye.
Some will criticise Bloor Street for being too mainstream but that’s not always a bad place to be. There’s no doubt that the star is being true to himself and making the music he loves.
The album could only be more Kiefer if he’d recorded it over an intense 24-hour session with no time for loo breaks, just like his TV character Jack Bauer.
Maybe next time.
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