Half Moon Run- ‘Sun Leads Me On’

Montreal indie- multi-instrumentalists Half Moon Run known for there incredible harmonies and heavy bass based tracks return for what is clear to be heavily focused around influences, almost making an album on their best impressions of a band, but it doesn’t fail to impress. After their small success of the first LP, ‘Dark Eyes’, grabbing gigs opening for Metric, City and Colour, and Mumford & Sons, and a slot at Glastonbury, Half Moon Run created something special.

An intro to the album brings MGMT ‘Congratulations’ instrumentals that brought influence from The Beatles six years ago. Each track bringing energy the band are known to bring, being well produced to be captured on this record.  ‘ I Can’t Figure Out What’s Going On” a song I feel could have made the track list for Radiohead’s classic ‘In Rainbows, the song grows to singer Devon Portielje breaking into Thom Yorke like screams.  

‘Consider Yourself’ an edgy, dark Muse and Foals like synths, and bass line bring satisfaction to any music fan. The powers of this album are far more complex to put them into words. The ease this album brought to listen to, made the experience one to be lived over multiple times.

‘Hands in The Garden’ my personal favorite on the album, shows how good these guys really are instrumentally and with their level of musical knowledge. The harmonica and guitar match up perfectly and also show how well crafted production was.

The leading single from the album ‘Turn Your Love’, is a well made top 100 radio hit, and the tool from this album for the band to crack into the spotlight. The album does really follow a pattern musically it just sounds basically like whatever the band may have been listening to at the time. R&B and blues also make appearances on this album until finally, the last song ‘Trust’ made to be heard in clubs all around the world.

A mature return for the Montreal rockers, will bring a smile to the fans of the band, and most likely make a lot more fans for the time to come. The quick success well deserved for the extremely talented quartet,  and an album that will open the gates to even more unique sounds in the future.

8/10

Diiv - Is The Is Are

It's been a wild 4 years for Zachary Cole Smith and Co. After the critically acclaimed success of Oshin, the future looked bright for the Brooklyn based shoegaze band. A heroine arrest for Front man Cole, meant jail time and rehab to battle his addiction. Diiv knew they had to put everything into this record or it could be the end to their careers, and that’s what they have done with this album.

The death of guitar based rock is not present on this record, Diiv bring what we loved from Oshin and transform it into the modern idea of shoegaze. It’s the imperfections that bring this album to life, the jangly guitar riffs, heavy bass lines, and lyrics that are clearly about the struggle of his addiction, Cole's complete control on the production was the best possible move from the band. The band seem to be enjoying themselves and that’s what makes this record so special.

Opening track "Out Of Mind" comes out the gate booming, with the band all coming together perfectly, and jamming the song till the end. "Under the Sun" fills our hearts with a deep bass line and a riff that we just can't seem to get enough of. Cole's brought a new structure to his writing and these sing along choruses and keeping the verses simple. 

The dark side of Cole comes out on tracks "Bent (Roi's Song)" and "Incarnate Devil", lyrically this is where Cole breaks his barriers and lets us pick at his brain," Yeah if it feels wrong, you can go on along But once it feels right then you just lost the fight". These references to his addiction gives us an understanding of what was going on in his head during the process of the song writing.

Hands down the best track from the album and the first single released, "Dopamine", everything just went right on this track, drummer Ben Wolf brings the upbeat tempo and well placed fills, Cole and Andrew's guitars riffs are well constructed, and flow with Devin's Bass line. Very personal and emotional lyrics aren't sung to be dwelled upon instead they make you happy and leave you head banging no matter where you are. "Shots wringing out, I'm soaking, Eardrums shaking, years start weighing me down, Buried deep in a heroine sleep Floating deeper underground Passing out, running in place You're the sun and I was your cloud Burning out, running in place, Got so high I finally felt like myself".

There doesn't seem to be any low points in this record and as soon as you think it can't get any better, a mellow tune "Healthy Moon" takes the record even further, what makes this track so special is the quality of its production, it almost sounds as if it comes straight from the demo with almost little to no touching up, and that’s what makes Diiv so special.

We don’t know what the future holds for the Brooklyn based boys, but in a time where shoegaze and guitar based music seems to be coming to its end, Diiv are hitting new levels of success and beating all odds. Cole might even be the new Kurt Cobain but we just don’t know it yet.

8/10

Mac Demarco- Salad Days

Canadian singer/songwriter Mac DeMarco is back, with his second full length ‘Salad Days’, staying in the right direction and not leaving too much of what he did on the first album, Mac DeMarco’s soothing vocals and guitar riffs are back and better than ever.

The laid-back, carefree DeMarco, has gone from a who? To a household name in the indie scene, with his cult following worldwide. From opening gigs in front of 300 people to a headlining tour in Asia. The seriousness of his music does not reflect the free spirited DeMarco, leaving his child-like antics and growing into the mature artist. With ‘Salad Days’ DeMarco has expressed that he wanted to make it more meaningful, not making songs about nothing like he did before, he wanted the album to sound like he had just done a year and a half of touring, and he is tired.
The titled track ‘Salad Days’, gets the album rolling on a high note, becoming a DeMarco classic, and finding a place in our hearts forever. ‘Blue Boy’, a track that is clearly one of DeMarco’s darker tracks, one about finding himself caught in his own mind, worrying about life that is out of his control. With this record it’s almost as if he is trying to communicate with himself or give advice to his listeners.

The psychedelic sounds of ‘Brother’, a calm sing along chorus “To take it slowly, brother, Let it go now, brother, Take it slowly, brother Let it go”, and a Tame Impala-esque outro, one of the singles from this album, ‘Brother’, is where this album becomes it’s own.
The personal touch of this album can be heard through tracks ‘Let My Baby Stay’ and ‘Treat Her Better’, bringing his long term relationship with girlfriend Kiera McNally into his lyrics, giving himself some advice with the lyrics of this tracks. Some of the most revealing work we have seen from Mac. ‘Treat Her Better’, almost sounding like a demo track one with very little modification, DeMarco giving us another feel of how personal this record is.
‘Passing Out Pieces’ the first single from the album, a masterpiece. “Can't claim to care, never been reluctant to share, Passing out pieces of me, don't you know nothing comes free?”, Relatable lyrics from Mac, but ones that seem to mean more to him than to anyone else. The tolls that the excessive touring and interviews have played on his life, he is ‘Passing Out Pieces’ of his life to each one of us.
‘Chamber of Reflection’, DeMarco leaving his norm, and going into a song %100 synth based, and it works. ‘Chamber of Reflection’ does more than enough to please us and brings more depth to this album.

‘Go Easy’ and ‘Jonny’s Odyssey’ close off Mac DeMarco’s best record yet, the Canadian has seemed to grow up and finds himself where he probably never expected. ‘Salad Days’ has everything that he needed from a follow up record, and is one that will be remembered for a long time to come.

7/10

Alvvays-Alvvays Album Review

Alvvays Toronto based indie-pop sensations, have released their debut LP and it is nothing less than spectacular. It's been a long journey front woman Molly Rankin, from the small province of Nova Scotia, but she is no stranger to the music scene, from a family of musicians more formally "The Rankin Family" a Canadian Folk group. Its been 4 years since Molly's solo project 'She' EP bringing her minimal success, except on the Nova Scotia club scene. This is what lead to her and long time friends Kerri MacLellan (Keyboards) and Alec O'Hanley (Guitar) to try their luck in Toronto, and with the help of Phill Maclssac (drummer) and Brian Murphey (Bassist) a year later Alvvays was born. The Album was made in Calgary with producer Chad VanGaalen in March 2013, and has lead to the band finding a slot at Glastonbury 2015.

'Adult Diversions' the first single released by the band opens the album, the song following the life of someone who carries an unhealthy obsession over someone, constantly following them, taking this topic and turning it into an upbeat sing along pop-song. "Archie, Marry Me" the standout track on this album, becoming a minor hit, and a recognizable track world wide. The song begins with the sounds of birds whistling in the distance, and a simple 60's like guitar, until it all comes to life over Molly's euphoric "You've expressed explicitly, the song within seconds becomes a classic. The lyrics "Hey! Hey! Marry Me Archie" simple but powerful, without intent.

Molly's unique writing gives this debut album an extra kick, the lyrics coming from someone who's obviously gone through tough relationships, but instead of writing depressing love songs, Molly turns them into upbeat pop tunes. 'Ones Who Love You' and 'Agency Group' slow down the pace and get us in our feelings with lyrics like "Lie to the ones who loved you", taking advantage of someone who loves you.

'Next of Kin' and 'Atop a Cake" are love stories told in an unfamiliar fashion, with no happy endings. 'Next of Kin' is musically well produced, the drums being the leader of the track, and the guitar riffs following the beat of the drums. The story being told in the song is one of someone who is in a relationship with someone who doesn't see the same future, "I left my love in the river", a metaphor for leaving her love drowning and moving on for the better of herself. "Atop a cake" following the same idea of a love that isn't felt by both sides, "You like us on top of a cake, but you won't let me take a bite".  It's these corky but simple lyrics that complete this album.

"Party Police" the hidden gem on this album, the song is different from the rest of the album, by the way it is composed, its a mix of both the sad and happy of this album. A crying like chorus Rankin begging whoever the song was written to not to leave. The song brings feeling to any heart, anyone being able to relate the serenity and peace Molly is singing for. The break downs of song and the little instrumentation gives more focus to the voice of Molly, and when all the instruments cut out a shy Rankin sings out " You don't have to leave, you can just stay here with me, forget all the party police, we can find comfort in debauchery", Alvvays become more than just an indie band, but poets of music.

This album does itself justice on all levels, and speaks for all of Toronto's Music scene, the future is bright for Molly and Co, breaking through on the international level is hard but they have found a way to do so. An album that soothes the hearts of many youngsters around the world, the focus for number two will be a delicious surprise.


8/10