In terms of his outlook on the world and his musical inclinations,
Great Lakes' leader and guiding light
Ben Crum has never been a "let's plug in the guitars and crank up the amps" kind of guy, instead generally preferring music that sounds and reads more solemn and introspective. 2022's
Contenders doesn't represent a radical break from his past, but it does find him taking solace in the pleasures of a big, fuzzy guitar tone, albeit one that's tastefully applied. On tracks like "Last Night's Smoke" and "Way Beyond the Blue," the arrangements are built around distorted guitar figures that summon the spirit of
Neil Young, "Broken Even" is a refined but committed variation on garage rock, and "Baby's Breath" is full of heavy-duty six-string jangle. The album sounds more spirited than
Great Lakes' most recent efforts -- not exactly joyous but engaged with life's peaks and valleys in a manner that ultimately feels positive, and the muscular drive of the more upbeat performances reinforces this mood. Considering
Crum's love of big arrangements,
Contenders seems relatively streamlined, structured around guitar, bass, keyboards, and drums, though he hasn't lost his love of layered backing vocals, with Suzanne Nienaber, Chris Ziter, and
Ray Rizzo all lending their voices to the sessions. The album does detour into '70s soft rock territory on "Wave Fighter" (with Nienaber taking the lead vocal), and "Born Frees" sounds as if
Crum was trying to come up with his version of a 1950s stroll, and in this context, both of them work as changes of pace that still adhere to the essential theme of folk-rock that isn't afraid of the rock part of the formula.
Contenders isn't one of
Great Lakes' truly great albums, but its willingness to push the sounds forward and the resilient notes in the lyrics make it one of their most engaging efforts, one which welcomes repeat listening that reinforces the strength of this music. ~ Mark Deming