Faith Healing

Faith healing refers to the idea that one can cure disease or ailment through religious faith, prayer, or other rituals. Can a metaphysical force exert itself on physical, material reality? Try ;-) by Edmonton-based Faith Healer marinates in this question, evokes the spirit and gives the only acceptable answer. “Why not try?” it postures, while winking at you in a saucy and knowing kind of way. Try ;-) is an album that boasts nine strong, unique songs, but the peak is undeniably the title track. As an album, Try ;-) 's greatest strength is its ability to layer simplicity with profundity. It defies rational thought but yet is strongly felt. This quality is most apparent on “Try ;-)”. Here, the band is at its most effortless, with a strolling bass line that feels like the musical analogue to Jessica Jalbert’s soulful, blowy musings. Jalbert’s voice shines particularly on this track, straddling the border between cool detachment and lush expressiveness in the vein of legendary Broadcast vocalist Trish Keenan. The song ends up with Jalbert repeating the line “I don’t think I could try to fight it,” over and over before the paean becomes paper thin, carried away on a slight westerly wind. This is an album of emotional and conceptual extremes. There’s the pedestrian and the celestial, the new and the nostalgic, and the electronic and the analog. There’s detachment and sincerity, laughing and crying. In this complex fabric, one comes out the end unsure how to feel, maybe to the point that the only gesture that makes sense is an ambiguous, impish, knowing little wink. Because once you know, you know, and only then, the only way to find out is to try. The power does not work in the presence of nonbelievers.

Ripped from the CD release to “May The Force Be With You” Star Treking FLAC

Faith Healer; Try ;-)

1.      & Waiting

2.      Light Of Loving

3.      Might As Well

4.      Sterling Silver

5.      Such A Gemini

6.      Try ;-)

7.      2^nd Time

8.      Sufferin’ Creature

9.      Best Saved For Last