Strange days, indeed.

The climate that we currently find ourselves in -- not just politically but musically -- is one that has left a lot of people baffled. No more so than Econoline Crush's frontman Trevor Hurst who's wondering why, after such a promising start, the band's muscular pop rock record Brand New History -- its best record to date -- has seemingly stalled.

Part of the reason for the disappointment in Canada, Hurst thinks, was the decision to tour immediately following Brand New History's release as part of the Much Loud Tour, which also featured nouveau metallers Godsmack and hip hop artist Kardinal Offishall.

"In hindsight I think the Much Loud Tour was maybe not the perfect thing for us to be doing," Hurst says, explaining the mostly pro-Godsmack audiences were less than appreciative of what EC and Kardi were doing.

"At the end of it I have to say that it left a really bad taste in my mouth because I was really (upset) the way that Kardinal was received in most markets. I didn't think that kids were that close-minded today."

It's not just the kids who are proving to be close-minded. The entire industry appears to be playing a wait-and-see game, trying to figure out where things are headed and backing only the things that appear to be working.

In light of recent events, Hurst thinks the move may be towards heartland-values rock. And though it might surprise fans of EC, Hurst, too, may soon follow suit.

"I think you have to stay true to what you do," says Hurst, who brings his band to the U of C's MacEwan Hall Ballroom tonight. "(But) I do have -- and I have for some time -- had an interest in doing some sort of side-project.

"My parents are getting older and there's a side of me that would like to explore something of a Canadiana folky kind of thing ... I'd like to record some songs that they could relate to and that would cross the boundaries that younger kids could relate to ...

"That's something that would be important to me."