Colin Munroe: Colin Munroe Is the Unsung Hero Review
Colin Munroe is a one-man band. Under the “band members” section of his Myspace, you will find that he mans all of his own instruments. From the piano, guitar, drums and even the banjo. What is even more intriguing is the section underneath that. His genre crossing, musical influences vary from Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan, to J.Dilla and Dr. Dre. I always thought people who say they “listen to everything” were lying douche bags. But I stand corrected.
Coming out of the broad and diverse Toronto music scene, Munroe initially picked up Internet acclaim with his remix of Kanye West’s “Flashing Lights”. With his first unofficial release, “Colin Munroe Is the Unsung Hero”, the Canadian singer continues to fuse elements from his broad musical influences. It is an album with Mo-Town soul, capturing Dylan’s cool, and is splashed with hip-hop swagger. A vast line-up of rappers have also lent their voices to compliment the hip-hop driven production.
The album’s lead single, “Will I Stay” features D.C rapper Wale delivering a playful verse about a “loveless relationship” and references to playing cards. Munroe also croons about his indecisions over a breaking guitar loop that has potential mainstream appeal. As a display of his versatility as a musician, Munroe gets his Bob Dylan on with his folk-alt ballad, “Sunday Bloody Sunday”. The banjo has never sounded so good to me.
Straddling the lines of different genres is a risk with potentially disastrous outcomes in today’s industry, as musicians are instantly labeled and creatively limited by the media. BUT – on the contrary – I get excited about music again when I have the opportunity to hear an artist who sounds genuinely passionate about their craft. Unlike the failed attempts at genre hopping I’ve heard in the past, Munroe’s album maintains a cohesive sound that does not end up like a jumble of unbearable production (ahem..Electric Circus).
As much as I’d like to see my fellow Torontonian succeed in this notorious music industry, I am absolutely sure this unsung hero is contempt with having the opportunity to do what he loves – an idea that is slowly being buried in a pile of dollar bills.
Colin Munroe – Will I Stay ft. Wale
Colin Munroe – Once More Chance ft. Mickey Factz
Tags: album
