Quick Before it Melts

Monday 30 June 2008

Snakecharming the masses

Back in 2003, The Stills biggest claim to fame was being from the hyped Montreal scene and sounding more like The Cure than The Cure did. “Still In Love Song” snickered and sneered with all the vitriol of a late 80s new wave/punk/goth band with bird’s nests for haircuts and a penchant for heavy eyeliner.

In reality, The Stills were much more than all that. They didn’t jump on the Montreal scene bandwagon as much as they were forced unto it at knife-point by press and PR people hungry to flesh out and give rise to something that really wasn’t there in the first place. Their debut album, Logic Will Break Your Heart had it’s moments besides the aforementioned single, and their Echo & The Bunnymen Joy Division sound led fans of Interpol and the like to their doorstep. 2006′s Without Feathers failed to catch fire the same way (regardless of the burning bouquet on the album sleeve), perhaps because the darker, denser moments gave way to a little light and breathing room for their melodies to peak through. (I think it’s a classic album overlooked at the time of it’s release, and deserves your attention forthwith.)

The time in between now and then has seen the band work with Stars on their remix album Do You Trust Your Friends? and jump ship to Arts & Crafts, who’ll be releasing their third LP, Oceans Will Rise in August of this year. So far it sounds like The Stills are back in top form: “Being Here” is a gorgeous, sing-along, radio-friendly anthem that should be pumping out of every car stereo and beach party boom box over the next few months. “Rooibos/Palm White Drinkard” has them pulling some rock star poses that remind me of The Verve, oddly enough. Tim Fletcher, the band’s vocalist and guitarist says, “We’ve never felt more driven collectively as a band as we do right now and I think you can feel that throughout the album.” If these two tracks are an indication, then third times the charm for The Stills.

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by J. Di Gioia | Comments Off

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