Alvvays
22 July 2014
Royal Mountain/Polyvinyl
3.5 stars out of 5
Molly Rankin (yes, a younger descendent of that family; her father was John Morris
Rankin) leads Toronto-based quintet Alvvays (pronounced “always”) along with
fellow transplanted Cape Bretoner Kerri MacLellan. And while there’s nothing on
Alvvays that even remotely resembles
the Celtic folk music of her elder family members, the record does seem to owe
a debt to another famous musical institution from her native Nova Scotia
The record starts off right with the twee-inflected “Adult
Diversion,” a noisy bit of pop that recalls the best melodic moments of the
Maritime landscape that spawned Never
Mind the Molluscs. But while there are similarities to the music of that
long-gone scene, either consciously intended or not, Alvvays are in no way
limited by the work of those who went before them. From the C86-ish romp of “Atop
a Cake” to the delirious joy that is “Archie, Marry Me,” Alvvays rewards with track after track. And, seriously, what other
band can claim to sound a bit like both fellow Nova Scotian grunge-ists Jale and tortured Americana
My only real complaint regarding this record is the cover
art. Specifically, the colour choices. It’s like sandpaper on the eyeballs. But,
unless you buy it on vinyl, this is obviously a minor issue. Unless you really
happen to like the album cover, in which case I feel sorry for your significant
other if (s)he ever leaves you in charge of selecting a paint scheme for your
new apartment.
reviewed by Richard Krueger
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