It seems A1 label head Greg Arcade (Noble Thiefs) has traded in the ska for a solo album featuring a variety of ass-shakin’, rockin’ genres. Following in the footsteps of his Beach Bum Singles EP, In…Hawaii features blaring distorted Hives-like garage rock with lead off track “No! You Shut Up!” coupled with the classic surf rock sound in “Filament” and “Hawaii Electric.” It even has a couple rockabilly numbers with “I’m a Lion” and “Shake your Feet.” In…Hawaii may not seem unique because each cut is somewhat based on familiar song structures that we’ve heard before, but it’s in how Greg Arcade builds on them which makes it so perfectly conceived. Each track is a thought-out homage to rock ’n’ roll with great lyrics and attitude to match. Arcade even ends off this perfect party album with the whimsy-laden “After-Glow,” which sounds reminiscent of Skynyrd’s “Tuesday’s Gone.” Well done. (A1, www.gregarcade.com) Kent Davies
Winnipeg music & culture since 1989