Colouring Season Your Departure Left Me The Shelterless Victim Of A Major Disaster Release Date : April 22, 2003 Label: So, Is She Cool? Music Rating: Andy doesn't dig rating stuff. While the disc builds from the get-go, the first thing we're struck with here is an old chunk of monologue from The Six Million Dollar Man slid over top of a gentle guitar. It's an interesting parallel when one considers the album concept. More on that in a moment. This first track, "Jane," builds then to a singing voice and continues to grow. This reminds me a lot of Sean MacDonald - the voice, that is. The man behind this project, Faisal Sethi, is a sensitive character, who stated on the liner notes of the album that this whole thing was meant to arrange his thoughts and come to terms with recent events in his life. You can feel the struggle through the songs. "Jane" kind of sounds like two songs, actually. I was confused for a moment, where it breaks off and then picks up again with a slightly-altered melody. After that, "So I Sing" sounds like a souped-up ballad from a fifties doo-wop band. Two songs in and we already have this kind of range. The snappy, 5-song EP takes us along with this man on his lossy journey. Some tracks outwardly sound much happier than their subject matter indicates… or vice versa. By the way, do Lego airplanes actually fly? Heading onward, we come across merry hand-claps, and weird electronics. It's a summer-sounding album. It's an interesting concept, the "Shoes For Free" thing. A variation on the oft-used 'walking in my shoes' theme, here, Sethi changes it slightly by simply saying that the shoes are 'yours' for free. Go on, take 'em! Some of the lyrics are a little geeky, but it adds to the oddly-charming vulnerability of the album. There's a lot of talk of minds, mind metaphors, and being in someone else's head. Hopefully with this project, Sethi will find the ability to move ahead instead of dwelling backwards. The disc ends with a cover of "Manic Monday." I somehow never knew it was written by Prince. I guess at the time that I was into the Bangles, songwriters themselves didn't mean much to me. It was the Bangles, baby! What an interesting cover choice though. 'Shelley Trudgeon' takes the place of Valentino by the crystal-blue Italian stream on this version. I don't know who that is, and I hope I'm not just being stupid. All I can find is something about a women students' director at the University of Regina. Hmm. This song adds in those growling guitars that are found all over the disc, on top of a tinkly piano. Cool harmonies here, but the chorus feels flat. Speaking of cool, there's references to 'cool' all over the CD, including the record label, So, Is She Cool? Music. Also interesting. I smell a theme! All in all, decent disc, just needs a punch up here and there. Lyric of choice : From "So I Sing" : There in a phone booth I was / lost with a quarter to spare / yet, I dare not be calling on you / for fear that you might be there. Song of choice : "Julie" just has a cool flair (hahah I said cool). -Andy Scheffler Elsewhere Colouring Season website Published : July 15, 2004.