Magneta Lane, a band heavily influenced by such classics as The Pretenders, Sonic Youth and The Kinks, has come out with a new album Gambling With God. The album features a number of finely executed tracks, so much so you may think the band hails from some nook in down town Montreal or played their way through the dive bars in and around New York City. This threesome is in fact from Toronto Ontario and Gambling with God as their third album is quite the album. As you listen to their new album you can hear a number of influences and they coalesce in a way that brings about a sense of the band’s appreciation of both the new and old. Magneta Lane falls into the notable and incendiary category of sibling/relative rock acts such as The Ramones, Oasis and more recently the Kings of Leon. Perhaps a blessing or a curse, having band members with the same blood often brings about interesting results. The contrast of on stage symmetry and off stage squabbling is never lost on the devotee or casual onlooker. If Magneta Lane becomes more successful such stories surrounding them may become more available.
Gambling with God is a more clear-cut brand of Alt-Rock, filled with a casual sense of lyrical storytelling. The vocals delivered by lead singer Lexi Valentine are at some points reminiscent of Zooey Deschanel of She & Him, that is, if Zooey had any vocal edge at all. The melodies are relatively simplistic, and while the execution is precise, they lack much originality. That being the only negative issue of the album, Gambling with God is no gamble at all (hold for applause). With a solid collection of tracks this album is by far the best female-only rock album of the year. Key tracks, House Of Mirrors, September Came, Bloody French and All The Red Feelings.
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