Of course an album called Havana Winter is lovely and lush. Could it be any other way? On his fifth solo album, acclaimed keyboardist, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Kevin Hearn creates planetarium pop with lush synthesizers decorating increasingly spacious arrangements, set to snappier summertime tempos with underpinnings of melancholy moods. The songs draw from the innocence of '60s pop, the wry wit of Randy Newman, and the bubbly rhythms of Stereolab, recorded with a big-screen vision worthy of the Flaming Lips. It's an old-fashioned headphone album, the kind where it's best to sit back, close your eyes, and immerse yourself in a world of sound.
Kevin Hearn is busy enough as a member of the Barenaked Ladies, the multi-platinum pop band he joined 14 years ago. In recent years he's played on albums by CanRock royalty such as The Tragically Hip, Broken Social Scene, Ron Sexsmith and Raine Maida. And in one of the highest compliments any keyboardist could ever hope to receive, Hearn was invited to sing and play on the new album by Garth Hudson of The Band.
Havana Winter finds New York City guitarist Mike Rathke joining Hearn's longtime backing band Thin Buckle. Also on board are singers Chantal Kreviazuk and Mary Margaret O'Hara, Irish-Canadian tenor John McDermott, and Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson - the latter two both hired Hearn to supplement their touring bands in recent years.
It may be music made by a busy man, but the sonic summer breezes of Havana Winter go down like a extra-minty mojito.
