Laura Stevenson and the Cans - Sit Resist

Already on album number two, Laura Stevenson and the Cans are one of those bands slumming across the country right now, playing sparsely attended venues down the street and leaving the few who managed to stick around digging in their pockets for an extra ten bucks to pick up a souvenir at the merch table after the show.

They’re a surprise for sure, and you can even keep the ten spot as Stevenson and the gang are letting earlybirders get Sit Resist at no charge, hoping that Laura’s voice will be enough to get you to commit for the sixty minutes or so the next time she happens by your neighborhood.

It’s worth your time and the space on your hard drive and, to be honest, it’s a damn shame that Laura and the rest of her crew should eve have to struggle to find gas money, let alone sleep in the van just to get to another dive during these years of hard knocks. Sit Resist features more talent than you’ll find with other artists in higher tax brackets and you'll honestly hope that these years of struggle will find a pay-off sooner than later.

The arrangement alternates from simple folk songs to ornate blends of old-fashioned jams of banjos, accordions, and even a few bits of brass instruments. One cut, "Master of Art," features a nifty bit of Phil Spector charm, adding to Sit Resist's ability to breeze by at a rapid pace without a dull moment to contend with.



But the real discovery is Stevenson’s voice, a delicate work of raw talent that’s reminiscent of Melanie at some points, yet able to hit the onramp running should the material require a burst of emotion.

Here’s the part where I write something that describes the key tracks on Sit Resist in an effort to get you to seek out the album at your favorite retailer. But since it’s already free for the taking (for just a short time longer) at Stevenson’s website, you can judge for yourself the level of talent currently pounding the highways, trying to get your attention.

You’ll find that it’s an effective strategy because once you’ve listened to Sit Resist, it’s hard to stray from its infectious array of honest music that’s worth its weight in gold.