#15: Tournament of Hearts

The Constantines: Tournament of Hearts
Work. It comprises at least 40 hours of most of our weeks. There really aren't that many songs about work though, and that's where Tournament of Hearts comes in. I have been without work for a few months, so maybe that's why this album has really gotten inside my head lately. The Constantines sound like they have been told to find "real" jobs by friends and family so many times that they will kill the next person who tells them to do the same. Voicing another, Bry Webb sings "Soon enough, work and love will make a man out of you," and follows that up with a song called "Working Full-time." That's right, you've got yourself a full-blown blue-collar record. (I recently discovered that the album cover is a rip from a Youngbloods LP...)

So, work and love are all we've got, both in U.S. and Canada, it seems. And maybe fear. "Love in Fear," a great track with Webb's gravely leads and its organ flourishes, comes close to the greatest moments of Shine a Light, the band's 2003 release that is always in heavy rotation for me. I can honestly say that the Constantines are one of my favorite bands because they have no rockstar qualities, just a reverence for Crazy Horse and a hard-drinking, hard-earned sound for which I am always in the mood.

(Also: decent interview with The Constantines here.)