Review: Sean Poluk

Sean Poluk – Never (Independent)
From the Ontario city of Sault Ste. Marie, Sean Poluk has carved himself out a reputation as a bluesman to be reckoned with. His sound, a mash up of various blues styles, is for the most part, fresh and energetic, the sort of thing that fills dance floors wherever it’s played, and is always popular on the festival circuit. When he slows things down, which he does on a few occasions, we get to hear what a good singer he is, too.

The album begins with “Even When You’re Wrong”; its percussion almost falling over itself to propel the song forward, with Poluk’s vocal bordering on spoken word. The effect isn’t unlike a sped up Steve Earle with a fat Louisiana harp on the side. It’s an impressive start, and the next track is better still. “Hell Yeah” is booze fueled, dense, hot and heavy. Turn it up loud and you can picture the basement club with the condensation running down the walls and sweat dripping. “You’re My Drug” lightens the mood with sacrificing anything, and the title track, a ballad, shows another side, with its piano and plaintive emotional tug. The album ends with the swinging “Ain’t Been the Same”, a beast of a track, guaranteed to wear out the most resilient ‘repeat’ button.
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Rob F.