WAKE UP LIVING
TRACK LISTING 1. Down in Heaven INDIVIDUAL TRACK REVIEWS Here is a brief review/my biased opinion on each track: 1. Down in Heaven: One of the poppier songs, also the debut single from WUL, DIH describes how Kalan felt as his mother was coming out of chemo for breast cancer. The song will stick in your head, it’s an easy listen, good opening song. 2. Destination (Where I Belong): Kalan’s voice sounds incredibly rich and smooth in this particular song, he makes singing sound effortless. This song flows wonderfully. 3. Hurray: One of the songs with more of an upbeat tempo, Hurray feels good to listen to. The violin piece near the end is amazing, showcasing Kalan’s instrumental talents. Don’t judge this song by the title; the lyrics come from an empowering place. You’ll relate to this one easily. 4. Run Run Run: The music on this one is beautiful, and sad. The haunting opening will suck you in. Kalan’s vocal range is amazing: he knows how to use his voice, and not many do. He rarely overdoes it, and he knows when to keep it light. On this track, you can hear and feel Kalan’s emotion - which is the real obstacle when it comes to making music - obviously not for Kalan. 5. Try: Some have mentioned a certain Beatles-esque sound on this one, which is pretty clear, starting with the most poignant lyric: ‘love is the answer.’ This is more of a sentimental and innocent song than any of the other tracks. 6. One Last Try: Haunting. No massive vocals on this one, which was the right choice. Kalan’s voice drifts in and out of a sombre tone to a hopeful one. The lyrics are stunning, as is the piano which complements Kalan’s voice like little whispers. A perfect song. 7. Beauty: My favourite. Kalan does a gorgeous cover of David Mead’s beautiful song. Kalan instils a certain Rufus Wainwright-like style on this track, along with wonderfully pitched backing vocals. Kalan’s voice crescendos perfectly; as you listen, you feel that he’s right behind you. Touching; I get a chill every time I listen to it, and though he may not have penned the lyrics, Kalan definitely has put his own love into the song – it’s his now. 8. Karma King: One of the more passionate songs, along with that scarce upbeat tempo on the album; very original. Something about KK reminds me of Coldplay as though it were a song they might have written, straight from the opening drum sequence. The vocals are great on this one, carrying a harder edge and an electric sound. Really great lyrics (Kalan, a heartbreaker?). 9. Wrong: Very pretty and serene. This song just reminds me of how much Kalan has changed since 219 Days. I love the chorus - very catchy. A really great ballad: who wouldn’t forgive Kalan after listening to this? 10. Walk on Home: Perhaps this should have been the last track? The lyrics prove Kalan has come full-circle with this record. Another one of his more personal songs, I imagine this is about Kalan going between Toronto and Medicine Hat (his home town), but who knows? Very sweet and warm song, you can’t go wrong with this one. Also quite catchy. 11. Out of My Head: One of my favourites. This is by far the saddest song. The violin cries, dancing along to Kalan’s morose voice. The lyrics are beautiful. If you choose to sample the album first, this is the song – you will be hooked. 12. Walk Away Renee: Ah, the bonus track. Kalan does a beautiful rendition of this song by 60’s band, The Left Banke. This just proves how Kalan’s music is maturing. He does not take too much of a different take on the song, but it’s still quite melodic and takes away from that melancholic feel of this album, leaving a nice bonus treat – icing on the cake. |
Once upon a time there was a boy with blond curls atop his head, violin in hand and one big golden ticket to Toronto to try his hand at the music industry. Now, three long years later, Kalan Porter no longer needs to try and live down his Canadian Idol status – he is far from it. With the release of Wake Up Living, Kalan’s sophomore disc, the musician has managed to survive the dreaded slump most artists face the second time around. As Kalan has matured, so has his music. With violin soaked ballads and heartfelt lyrics this is one album not to be forgotten. The singer’s melancholic melodies flow beautifully without one out of tune note or song, each lyric tells a careful tale from the singer’s life. So perhaps it is true that the best music comes from those artists who are not afraid to get a little personal. Clearly, Kalan doesn’t mind.