Dave Marsh - The True Love Rules

The True Love Rules may be the debut album by Dave Marsh, but he's certainly no stranger to the Canadian music scene. Having spent time playing with The Super Friendz and the Joel Plaskett Emergency, it's only appropriate that the first release on Mr. Plaskett's brand new New Scotland Records label should be this one.

When a person can boast 20 years of musical experience, it's only natural to expect his style to be littered with diversity and eclecticity. In it's 14 tracks, The True Love Rules delivers this in flying colours. For example, the album opens with Backstreets Thread, boasting a Big Star pastiche, including a guitar riff that Chris Bell would have enjoyed immensely. There are several East Coast rockers such as The Way We Live Today and The Smoke Easy, which remind us of where Marsh had come from. The title track contains some Tom Wilson-esque vocals with a Joe Jackson bass line, and I Know Nothing Anymore has a slight Ray Davies feel to it, coupled with an old time melodic swoon. However, while bits and pieces of several musical influences are definitely apparent, this CD will mostly appeal to fans of Bowie circa Low. Nav Com Tav, Darling You Nothing Else Matters and Forsaken By The Beautiful People would have all fit very nicely on that album. For me, the highlight can be found mostly on the album's shortest track, entitled Got No Kids Of Our Own. This song still has that Bowie-ish flair, but with a poetic vocal swagger that displays confidence in its abilities. The album also includes musical accompaniment by members of the Friendz and Emergency as well as Peter Elkas, Tim Brennan, Paul Boudreau and Plaskett himself.

Reverbnation: Dave Marsh
Download: I Know Nothing Anymore mp3