'Get Up' review

3rd Coast Music Magazine (Texas)

4 Stars

How many of you, no looking at a map, would be willing to bet your life, or even $5 (US or that Canadian shit), that Manitoba is east or west of Saskatchewan? I thought so.

I've had great country music turn up from some unlikely seeming places, Vermont, Australia, the Shetland Islands, even Nashville, if you can feature that, but even so Manitoba does seem a bit outré. It's not that I don't think people make music there, I just didn't think anybody but Ukrainians actually lived there and, no disrespect to Anabaptists, you don't hear much about the influence of Mennonite Church music.

The first thing that impresses one about Penner and his guys and gal, now based in Calgary, is the sensational ensemble sound, which local FARster Allison Brock says is "as loose and comfy as your favorite old shirt, yet as tight musically as a great fitting pair of boots," and that's about the size of it.

They've nailed the sweet spot where the music has been rehearsed to perfection but still sounds fresh. On top of that Penner writes terrific songs and, while they and his voice sometimes remind one of Fred Eaglesmith, with whom the band has often worked, he's certainly no clone.

I wouldn't argue one bit with another FAR DJ, David Oberman, KUT, Austin, "there's a freshness here outside comparisons that grabs me and demands attention. Here it is only January and I'm listening to a strong contender for the Top 10 of 2004." -JC