“In the dark times/Will there also be singing?/Yes, there will be singing/About the dark times,” wrote the German poet Bertolt Brecht. These lines inspired Jason Collett’s latest release Head Full Of Wonder. Although many musicians have released material written during the pandemic, the Toronto-based singer-songwriter and former member of Broken Social Scene tends to focus on the light rather than the dark in his latest release. This is reflected in song titles like “Have Some Fun,” “Come On Sun,” and “Everyday Sunflower.” With jangly melodies and slide guitars, Head Full Of Wonder is an uplifting release, but it somewhat lacks the bittersweet melancholy from his more noteworthy releases. Singing about bare shelves at the grocery store, closed borders, empty streets, and FaceTiming family, “Just Before the Rain” is the album’s standout track, showcasing this bittersweetness and serving as a beautiful meditation about lockdown. Head Full Of Wonder is Collett’s effort to say something positive in today’s tumultuous society, and he’s done just that.

-Adrian Lysenko

3.5/5