Rating: NNN
A collection of songs recorded live at C’est What during benefits for FoodShare Toronto, Local Flavour arrives with a big, fat heart and the knowledge that many people worked hard both to support the grassroots outreach program and to secure quality performances from the musicians who helped out.
That said, like any compilation of this sort, there ARE highs and lows and lots of uneven listening in between. Norm Liotta’s lilting, almost ethereal Flow Of The Flood isn’t the ideal lead-in to Michael O’Connell’s country-tinged stormer Gabriele, but what are you going to do? On the flipside, there’s guitarist Ray Montford’s haunting, flamenco-juiced Celebrata, the Supers’ sweet, sad pop on Only You and Mia Sheard’s billowy Girly Man. All three are top.
