Tom Harrison from The Vancouver Province Newspaper has actually reviewed the first two albums as well. Here is his review for Lavender:
HEMANT RAO: Lavender (Independent)
Now based in Montreal, Rao once played Vancouver's coffee shops and bars, where he revealed a songwriting talent that favoured the simple and direct. His Lavender debut features a light, lilting voice and some colourful, attractive guitar. There is a detectable rhythm and blues root to a song such as Love Can Become while Mother is a complex swirl of melody and expression. By contrast, Have Fun is the kind of rock The Police might have done at the trio's most straightforward. B TH
HEMANT RAO: Lavender (Independent)
Now based in Montreal, Rao once played Vancouver's coffee shops and bars, where he revealed a songwriting talent that favoured the simple and direct. His Lavender debut features a light, lilting voice and some colourful, attractive guitar. There is a detectable rhythm and blues root to a song such as Love Can Become while Mother is a complex swirl of melody and expression. By contrast, Have Fun is the kind of rock The Police might have done at the trio's most straightforward. B TH