The Rebel Spell
Last Run (Rebel Time)

While past releases by Vancouver political punks the Rebel Spell—all mixed, mastered, and produced by Doug Naugler—have emphasized singer Todd Serious’s anthemic, agitprop lyrics, their ominously titled new LP, Last Run, takes a different approach. With Jesse Gander producing, guitarist Wretched Erin—credited merely as “Erin” on the jacket this time out—is raised up in the mix, Gander bringing such clarity to her sound that you can actually pick out where she’s overdubbing the rhythm and lead parts, something not easily done on previous discs. And, well, holy shit, does she rock.

The crunchy, swarm-of-hornets licks that ring through “Pride and Prejudice” are the album’s high points, while her hooks occasionally seem to suggest she’s been listening to a lot of Brian James–era Damned lately. That’s the good news. On the other hand, the promising inflections of Eastern European folk and reggae that popped up on the band’s last couple of albums are absent, and Serious’s lyrics are less easily discerned.

Once you crack things open, you may find there’s a level of despair influencing the band’s idealism that’s kind of uncomfortable to contemplate. (From the album opener, “Hopeless”: “There is a deep deadly sadness growing inside of me/It hurts to be here but I can’t leave.”) The few stabs at anthems (“Fight for the Sun”) are simply not as convincing as on past discs.

So Last Run, maybe, is not the Rebel Spell’s most inspiring release; kick-ass guitar aside, it may be its most depressing. All the same, this is a great band, one that deserves a lot more notice outside its niche. Here’s hoping this isn’t really its last run.