As a veritable fixture on Canada's musical landscape - and long-term bassist for Downchild, an institution that's seen its share of players come and go - Gary Kendall had a lot of friends to call on for his debut disc, 2004's Dusty And Pearl.  Despite a huge cast, Kendall managed to marshal everything into a cohesive collection.   Now he's back with a follow-up, this time opting to stick with his working band, and the results are even more satisfying.

Kendall's is one of the busiest outfits around Toronto and environs, and it shows in the tight ensemble sound here.  This is not the stuff of sterile studio perfection - this is the organic sound of a working band, music with life, breathing hard and oozing sweaty urgency.

Kendall wrote all but one of the tunes here, and while he mines familiar forms, his songwriting is skilful and the band's playing inventive enough to keep everything surprisingly fresh.  From the easy-going sway of "Real Good Night" that kicks things off, to the swampy, downright dangerous grind of "Streeta Groove" that closes that party, Kendall and company offer a consistently pleasing mix with plenty of bar-band variety.

Kendall's band is a finely honed unit indeed.  Guitarist Darren Poole is a marvel of craft and taste, every note razor-sharp and delivered with carefully considered precision.  Wayne "Shakey" Dagenais positively sparkles on keys, his playing endlessly inventive yet firmly rooted in classic styles - this is a guy who's done his homework.  Drum duties are handled by either Tyler Burgess or Mike Fitzpatrick, with Burgess contributing understated but effective harmonica on a handful.

A thoroughly enjoyable outing by a top-notch band, "Feels Real Strong" is a musical feast, the stay-at-home equivalent of catching the best band on the circuit on a great night.   Don't miss this one ...!