Quick Spins

Night Flowers
Night Flowers EP

This self-released four-song EP from Torontonian 3-piece Night Flowers falls flat. The band seems to be in pursuit of a Le Tigre aesthetic, but this hardly works with their lifeless lo-fi guitars. It’s okay to attempt a quirky pop record with this type of sound, but the Night Flowers’ effort comes off as laboured and a bit trite. While the two female vocalists try to showcase their range and harmonizing, their skills are undermined by the album’s sillier moments – like the ridiculous adlibs on “Pep Rally.” The EP’s best part is the hand-drawn cover art of black and white flowers.

– Jon Dempsey

The Streets
Everything Is Borrowed
679 RECORDS

The Streets, aka Mike Skinner, was probably on your iPod at some point in the last six years. His thick English accent used to come off well when he rapped over amateur laptop beats, although this may have been because he seemed highly motivated. But with Everything is Borrowed, Skinner seems to have decided that putting the same effort into his music was no longer necessary. Listening to this album, one gets the impression the title is more admission than commentary, and that perhaps the creative process has stagnated.

– Jon Dempsey

Dr. Dog
Fate
PARK THE VAN RECORDS

This album could easily be the best of 2008. Dr. Dog’s tremendous Fate will give you the chills over and over again. Their mix of traditional folk music and psychedelic undertones is strikingly reminiscent of Wilco’s groundbreaking Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, with soul and emotional heartache evident in the vocals of “Army of Ancients” and “The Beach.” Even lines such as “oh my love /don’t you leave me /cause I don’t want to learn how to die” from their hit song “From” describe heartache in a very direct way.
One thing that stands out throughout the entire album, other than the unique musical arrangements and use of irregular instruments, are the harmonies. Fate is a must have for any music fan. It’ll make you bob your head and sing out loud, while breaking every last piece of your heart.

– Jarred Coxford

Wakey!Wakey!
Live at Bowery Ballroom
FAMILY RECORDS

The sounds and genres coming out of this New York-based band are a surprise to the ears. With an undertone of classical piano, frontman Mike Grubbs turns Wakey!Wakey into the mutant, indie-rock offspring of Mozart, Dave Brubeck and Ben Folds. Their songs are catchy and as emotional as they are entertaining. Songs like “Away” have a particular soft, bluegrass vibe, while others like “Falling Away” leap out as powerful piano ballads loaded with strings and vocal key changes. Grubbs also throws in a classical take on Gnarles Barkley’s hit “Crazy.” It’s actually shocking when it first pops up.
However in all honesty, the best thing about this about this album is that it’s completely free to download. The tracks are definitely worth checking out, even if it’s just to hear a classical indie version of “Crazy.”

– Jarred Coxford

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