A number of Hollywood Stars have sought to break into the music business in the past - Robert Downey Jr., Kevin Bacon, Tim Robbins, Kevin Costner, and even - god help us - Steven Seagal. All have done with varying degrees of success. Critics have largely displayed a certain skepticism that these are vanity projects for the elite, and soon to be forgotten.
Kiefer Sutherland himself accepted that such preconceptions of the “privileged movie star”, making a hobby out of music would always be around. But with over 500 gigs in the three years preceding the pandemic lockdown, and this, his third album, there is a changing perception that the versatile Canadian might indeed be in for the long haul. Musically, ‘Bloor Street’ is a step away from the more country-heavy sound of the last album ‘Reckless And Me’. It’s a highly enjoyable romp through a collection of mid-tempo rockers and ballads.
Stories and reminiscences from the past, love gone, mistakes, a little homely advice from someone who’s been there, and how to avoid some of them. Written on a wave of nostalgia, the title song is a homage to the city of Toronto, a city he spent many years growing up in:
Walking down on Bloor Street, I make the right on Yonge. This old town has gone round for round, but this is where I’m from. I can feel the wind coming off the lake. It cuts right to the bone. A crooked smile grows on my face, ’cause now I know I’m home.
It’s an affectionate nod to the city and a neat introduction to an album with a number of biographical tales.
‘County Jail Gate’ references Sutherland’s well-reported run-ins with the law, and a word to the wise; ‘Do as I say, not as I did’.
Kiefer has a gentle, easy-mannered vocal with that hint of a rasp, that gives it an edge. It is a vocal ideally suited to romantic singalong ballads like the singles ‘Chasing The Rain’ and ‘Two Stepping In Time’. That slight edge is brought to the fore in one of the best cuts on the collection, ‘Going Down’, as a couple faces the imminent crash ending of their time together.
Can’t you see the avalanche, the landslide beneath your feet? Can’t you see what’s coming, for you, and me? Look what you started, when you thought you were alone. Now you’re broken-hearted and I’m cold as a stone. We’re going down, and there ain’t no turning back. You set us in motion on this one-way track.
The man certainly doesn’t have much luck in love, as songs like ‘Nothing Left To Say’ and ‘Goodbye’, confirm.
I managed to see Kiefer live in the Academy in Dublin – his last gig before lockdown, surrounded by a superb set of musicians. He put a really great show, complete with backgrounds of how the songs came to be. This storytelling element is evident in this set. These songs of romance, reminiscences, and reflection will find resonance with many. They will hopefully cut through some of the preconceptions mentioned earlier and enhance his growing reputation as a singer/songwriter in his own right.