This Canadian band plays a poppy take on post-punk flavored indie rock. Their album opens with the upbeat single "Meantime' which is dancey and anthemic. It feels like a cross between Arcade Fire and Underworld. "Too Be Seen" finds the guitars stepping forward in the mix. The vocals have a Brit-pop wanderlust to them. Rather than the bleak baritone, he has a bright tenor. I prefer the groove of the opening track, as this one has a more rambling Ryan Adams feel. Lyrically, it's a little more interesting. 'What a Ride' is a little moodier, though the chorus finds things getting weird and going sideways. They are not as garage rock as the Black Lips, but there is a similar punk meets the Beatles feel.
Things are a little more laid back, despite the radio-friendly beat to "Let You Down". The chorus is too happy for my personal tastes. The chorus works better than the previous song's. In some ways, they are not unlike DEHD, but that band is catchier in the vocal lines. The guitar placement is inconsistent, but that adds some charm to things. "All My Life" benefits from interestingly auto-tuned production on the vocals that feels more futuristic. This would sound great if you were on drugs. There is an 80s feel to "Athena" , like a slower version of "Turning Japanese". I can also hear how the Talking Heads are a likely influence on this band.
The more psychedelic touches resurface on the lazy river flow of "Can We Go Now". Maddy Wilde sings on this one, which offers a different narrative voice to switch things up. "Supersonic Man" by the band's admission is their musing on being a baby sent to earth like Ka-El. It's your typical indie rock ballad with a folk guitar strum. "Do" is a better song; it works in bursts of rock guitar, as for this to be indie rock, it does not have much rock to it as a general rule. Without this, it causes things to meander rather than be anchored. "HI" also works similarly, playing in their favor. There is a Beatles influence that becomes more prominent here. "In the Meantime" is a more relaxed Decemberists-like vibe. The last song is less focused; it's not until the final minute that it catches a Shins-like groove. This album works for what they are doing little to upbeat for my tastes, will give it an 8.5,
No comments:
Post a Comment