These longtime friends worked on this 10-track, 30-minute album over the course of seven years, recording with Ken Friesen at The Bathouse in Bath, Ontario, at what must have been the most sporadic pace in music history. Despite the incredible lag time between inception and completion, the results here are nothing short of immediate. These songs rock hard and get out of the way. No extra solos, no interminable jamming; everything's just revved up and ready to go. From the opening flash of “Crater,” Gord Downie and The Sadies make quick work of the songs. “Crater” even manages two concise guitars solos at once, in order to keep things moving. Featuring Downie on vocals, Travis Good on vocals, guitar and mandolin, Dallas Good on guitars and keyboards, Sean Dean on bass, and Mike Belitsky on drums, the group doesn't have a weak leak in the chain. “The Conquering Sun” chimes and flows the way folks like Frank Black and his various bands try to churn it out. Downie’s clearly made a career beyond his days in The Tragically Hip, and The Sadies prove to be among the best bands in the game.