MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: BEN KUNDER - BETTER HUMAN

Hey, nice one Ben Kunder. For his second album, the Toronto native (with some P.E.I. living experience) hits us with some very listenable songwriter-pop, with lots of great harmony moments and country-ish highlights. But he's also not afraid to pull out the synth, anything that makes some sweet sounds. Better Days gets the pedal steel, Fight For Time the Jackson Browne treatment ("I don't want to fight for time with you, there's never enough.")

Kunder's tapped into the search for joy we all struggle with, trying to make happiness about more than just posting pictures of what our lives are supposed to be like on Instagram: "Now I'm living the hard line, and I'm losing all the good times/can you tell me how to get back to you?" he asks in Hard Line, with dramatic strings and piano making this one of the richest songs on the album. Searching albums, when done properly, can be tremendously uplifting, just knowing our worries are shared by like-minded folks, and Kunder has the ability to heal us a little with his songs.

And, he's on the road with an East Coast tour kicking off Saturday, Sept. 1 in my very own bucolic home of Fredericton. Join me, Maritime friends at one of these fine establishments.

Sept. 1 - Grimross Brewing Co, Fredericton

Sept. 2 - Plan B, Moncton, N.B.

Sept. 5 - The Carleton, Halifax

Sept. 7 - Iona Heights Inn, Iona Heights, N.S.

Sept. 8 - Back Alley Music, Charlottetown (in-store)

Sept. 9 - Trailside Cafe, Mt. Stewart, P.E.I.

Sept. 11 - Ross Creek Arts Centre, Canning, N.S.

You can check out his music at 
https://benkunder.lnk.to/betterhuman

And here is his website link: http://www.benkunder.com/