“So She’s Leaving”
from the album Den of Thieves
2005
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Since releasing House of Ill Fame in 2003, the Antigonish, Nova Scotia-bred band has shared the stage with the Rolling Stones, Robert Plant, Three Days Grace, and Nickelback. The band’s latest album shows they’ve taken a cue from those seasoned vets: Den of Thieves begs to be performed live, filled with fist-pumping rock, melodic power pop, and danceable blues-funk flourishes, with a few sway-worth ballads tossed in for good measure.
After forming in 1998, the Trews ran through two other monikers (One I’d Trouser, then Trouser) before settling on their current name (taken from a type of traditional Scottish pants). Despite burgeoning fame, the band still puts on their pants one leg at a time, with songs led by frontman Colin MacDonald’s shaky, throaty vocals that suggest consecutive nights of pouring his soul into the mic to make an honest buck. But Den of Thieves isn’t without its exploratory moments. There are cameos here from cowbells and hand claps (“Poor Ol’ Broken Hearted Me”), harmonica (“Got Myself to Blame”), and horns (“Cry”), as well as mandolin, banjo, harmonium, and lap steel throughout.
Having released Den of Thieves stateside in mid-April, the Trews are unsurprisingly already back on the road, with dates scheduled through August.