
In 2006, The Tea Party’s Jeff Martin released his overwrought solo album Exile and the Kingdom and calling it a disappointment would be an understatement. Lyrics were never his strongest suit so going the non-angsty exotic-tinged folk route was not a musical path worth traveling. He has come to his senses and turned back to dark and heavy material more akin to his former group.
Reinventing himself as The Armada with instrumentalist Wayne Sheehy, this self-titled album sounds much like a continuation of the last few albums from The Tea Party which makes me question how much input Stuart Chatwood and Jeff Burrows had in the end (Where’s The Art Decay?) You’ll find a “No Quarter”/Robert Johnson-like reprise of “Black Snake Blues”, the only decent song from the previous solo album. Otherwise, it’s all-new studio rock material with Middle Eastern instruments abound that take many cues from Led Zeppelin, which is no surprise at all. After listening to the first minute of the opener “Going Down Blues”, I only questioned why they didn’t just cover “When the Levee Breaks” when the bombastic drums and panning harmonica are lifted straight from that classic. All songs hit around the four minute mark with songwriting that aims at a commercial direction in line with The Tea Party’s Triptych although there are no obvious singles to be found.
The catch is the album was released online last November, costing 15 EUR + 3.50 shipping = $29.06 CDN. Given my refusal to pay for lossy music, you know how I acquired this. Fortunately, it is getting a wider released in North America come March so anticipate one of Canada’s best pop musicians getting back to form (even if he lives in Ireland now.)
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