Rating: NN
With his thin-rimmed glasses, red beard and run-of-the-mill blue toque, Shawn Sage looks more like your average university professor than a throaty, country blues artist. But play his sophomore album, Misadventures In Song and you’ll hear a passionate performer who loves his dive bar rock. Unfortunately, his inventiveness doesn’t match his drive. Another War is a cheesy anti-war protest tune, while Kurt Cobain, with its eye-rolling lyrics, is tough to swallow. Sage’s middling country rock tunes might find an audience of wasted jocks at the Horseshoe, but don’t expect the Torontonian to be playing Austin City Limits any time soon.
Shawn Sage is playing Saturday (January 27) at the Tranzac.
