Canadian Musician Magazine
March 2005
James McKenty And The Spades' album, Burning On Fumes, was co-produced by The Tragically Hip's Gord Sinclair, who knew McKenty from his native Kingston, ON and took in a show. The trio's weekly gigs reportedly pull in a regular 100 strong fans, who stay after the show to get autographs and buy a ton of CDs. Recording the Peterborough-based band - McKenty (guitar, piano, vocals), Winchester Street (drums), and Chachi Robichaud (bass) - at The Hip's studio The Bathouse, in Bath, ON, the 10 tracks have a casual, but rockin' vibe that gives nods to vintage rock 'n' roll like the Animals and Yardbird, and current mainstays Blue Rodeo and Neil Young. There's even something vaguely reminiscent of Gord Downie in McKenty's voice. About half the songs are co-pros between Sinclair and McKenty, and the rest by McKenty alone, who also writes all the band's material. The Spades came together in 1998 after McKenty took an engineering job at Sound On Sound Studios, where his first project was recording the legendary Rompin' Ronnie Hawkins, who apparently imparted this piece of advice: "It'll be a long road son, but the big time is always right around the corner." The band has since opened for The Hip, Blind Boys Of Alabama, Jim Cuddy and April Wine.
 

Chartattack
January 2005
"All lame critic’s puns aside, this group really does have talent in spades; i.e., that ostentatious but unsatisfying quality known as potential. Not every band has it, but The Spades do and they make it known on this album. "Apple Of My Eye" is the shiniest of the bushel, coming off like a B-side to Wilco’s A.M.One can only hope they continue to sow, since their future should reap plenty for listeners." Marc Boudignon