Canadian punk rock band Charming to the Last is back with their sophomore album, A Single Spark. This ambitious 13-track offering seeks to tell a story (complete with tracks that let the listener know when the next act is starting) about a man leaving his wife/family without warning, the mental anguish he faces, and his slow return. All of this is served with a healthy dose of alternative/punk rock elements. From crunchy, frantic guitars to sudden time changes, the group takes a sound often used to sing about breakups on a boyfriend/girlfriend level and ups the ante with a higher-stakes situation. Surprisingly, that application works really well.

Act 1 (the longest of the three) is all about the leaving, with the singer constantly waffling between absolute certainty that he's making a good decision ("Breakaway," "Illusion of Freedom") and doubt over his recklessness ("Waves of Regret," "My First Mistake"). Eventually that doubt turns into internal conflict in Act 2 as he starts to recognize where he went wrong ("Desperate Times"), how he needs to change ("Bury Me"), and how hard it's going to be to escape the pit he's in ("The Rabbit Hole"). Act 3, then, is the bright conclusion with the title track denoting his turnaround, though he openly acknowledges the road ahead will be hard ("Long Road from Nowhere," "I've Got This Figured Out").

A Single Spark is an impressive endeavor overall, with different musical movements and cues as well as lyrical references and ideas that interweave between tracks. That said, in spite of its bright conclusion, there's plenty of darkness to work through before you get there. In one sense, it makes for a good story, but given what the story is about (a rough patch in a marriage, if not divorce) some may find it a heavy listen that can be pulled out every now and then, but not daily. Still, lovers of a 2000s-era punk rock style will want to check out Charming to the Last. They will likely find the group (and their work) pleasing company.

- Review date: 9/8/22, written by John Underdown of Jesusfreakhideout.com