Roots Rock has another star player on the team. With the talented Tod Hughes from Calgary, Alberta releasing his inspired and honest new album Time Slow Down, many listeners are going to put this well-produced and quirky album on repeat. Mixed with a beautifully clean sound, it is interesting to see that the gritty-live-pub-band sound still remains intact.

Opening with the title track “Time Slow Down,” Tod Hughes wastes no time introducing his particular signature sound to his new and fast-growing audience. The track has a serious message about the passage of time, but, rather than hanging out in the ocean of melancholy, “Time Slow Down” steps up the beat and creates a fun experience; it is a beautiful juxtaposition of sound.

As far as song titles go, “Drinking Coffee In A Hipster Place” has to win some sort of award. Just the title alone is music to my ears because there is no denying the passion in which modern day hipsters have overtaken most coffee shops; this song clearly aims at layering on the sarcasm and silliness in all of it. The track is easy enough on the ears with clean drums, smooth vocals, hand drums, and some beautiful female back-up vocals. In fact, this song is exactly what you would expect to hear in a hipster coffee shop.

The final track, entitled “Is It Really Fair,” is a proper send-off for an album that stayed well within its own genre box. Sounding like a cross between John Fogerty and Wilco, “Is It Really Fair” will no doubt become a favorite track among the many on this filled-out album.

Time Slow Down is not not a perfect album. It lacks some diversity between songs, and it stays a bit too safe within its own particular sound and genre, but it also shines as a great body of work. The songs are always a cross between the serious topic and the fun-loving musical composition, and, for that, this album deserves some real credit. The real strength of this album lies in its ability to make you want to see this band live as soon as you can.

Tod Hughes can be found on Facebook and his official site.