TOQUE – Give’r (2016)

With the new TOQUE album featured here this week, let’s check out their very cool previous album “Give’r” including some terrific cover versions of Canadian greats such as LOVERBOY, ALDO NOVA, SAGA, STREETHEART, APRIL WINE, HONEYMOON SUITE, TROOPER and more.
Enlisted in the ranks of Toque are Todd Kerns & Brent Fitz – both of whom play in Slash featuring Myles Kennedy And The Conspirators and previously played in Streetheart, Harlequin, etc – along with Cory Churko (Shania Twain) and Shane Gaalaas (Michael Schenker, Yngwie).

TOQUE – named like the traditional Canadian type of hat – got it’s start back in 2012 when Kerns, Fitz and Churko performed in Winnipeg for a charity event. The setlist was full of Canadian rock classic great tunes like the ones on the “Give’r” album and no doubt solidified the idea for TOQUE then.
Each cover / tribute song was excellently chosen and it’s hard not to listen to ‘Give’r’ in it’s entirety each and every time.
Songs by the Canuck biggies like Loverboy’s classic “Working for the Weekend” (greatly done), Aldo Nova’s “Fantasy”, Triumph’s “Roller”, are stupendous.

Surprising to hear one of the lesser known bands outside Canada, Queen City Kids, who had a minor hit with “Dance” (catchy rocker), or Orphan’s “Lonely At Night”. I really like both versions.
Other highlights are Chilliwack’s “My Girl (Gone, Gone Gone)” from 1981’s ‘Wanna Be A Star’. I truly wore that record in the 80s.

It’s not just how amazing the song choices are here, it’s also the tight musicianship on each and every track. Todd’s voice is strong as always. His range and ability makes it seem effortless.
With Cory, Shane and Brent to pull it all together cohesively and pay tribute to these classics like they deserve to be played. Attention to detail was not overlooked for the sake of having fun with these songs.

The album cover artwork is also fun… pure Canadian. “Give’r” depicts the band name scrawled with urine. A delightful Canadian male pastime and right of passage during their long cold winters to write things in the snow while you pee outside in the cold winter. You can see two feet, a Toque, and what I can assume is a bottle of beer also in the cover image.
It’s all about fun here, excellent songs skillfully recreated by the seasoned musicians.
Highly Recommended

01 Fantasy (ALDO NOVA cover)
02 Dance (QUEEN CITY KIDS cover)
03 Working for the Weekend (LOVERBOY cover)
04 Thinking of You (HARLEQUIN cover)
05 My Girl [Gone, Gone, Gone] (CHILLIWACK cover)
06 Go for Soda (KIM KITCHELL cover)
07 Crying over You (PLATINUM BLONDE cover)
08 On the Loose (SAGA cover)
09 Roller (APRIL WINE cover)
10 Lonely at Night (ORPHAN cover)
11 New Girl Now (HONEYMOON SUITE cover)
12 Raise a Little Hell (TROOPER cover)
13 Action (STREETHEART cover)

Todd ‘Dammit’ Kerns – lead vocalist/guitarist for Slash
Brent Fitz – drummer and bassist for Slash, Alice Cooper, Vince Neil
Cory Churko – guitarist & musical director for Shania Twain and Kelly Clarkson
Shane Gaalaas – drummer for Yngwie Malmsteen, Uli Roth, Michael Schenker

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