They seem to be trying to match the singers off key warble musically on a lot of tracks here, which doesn't really work for me. The lovely fem vox and varied instrumentation are most welcome when they appear.

Album Rating: 4.5

Yeah all the guest vocalists they've ever included have been fantastic. I still think their main vocalist is great too. He's also a phenomenal lyricist which is key to their appeal.

Album Rating: 3.0

I can agree with you both. I loved the lyrics. Loved the arrangements for the most part except track 1 . It just dont work for me



Is the rest of the discography similar to this ?

Yes but no. If you like this at all, explore the others. I enjoy them more

Album Rating: 4.5

The Golden Days are Hard (2020) is very similar to this, and Westelaken (2018) is a lot more uptempo and rough around the edges, basically country-punk.

never got to the Golden Days but the s/t was a p fun scrappy album hm.

Album Rating: 4.5

Don't think you'll like this as much Jotw but ig you never know

""Ozzy's Palace", a drifting, ambivalent thirteen-minute folk ballad whose aura is akin to an afternoon spent laying in a verdant pasture, watching clouds unhurriedly float across the sky. The song occasionally builds towards miniature flourishes, but it always ends up backing off and retreating to its gentle ebb and flow"

Damn, this sounds right up my alley. I'll check it out soon

Album Rating: 4.5

That's what it grew into for me, but everyone else hates it so far lmao (that said, I do agree it's the weakest here...13 minutes is a long time for there to be no appreciable hook or pinnacle).

Album Rating: 3.5

Great review, sounds pretty cool on first listen, might take a while to get a sense of this

Album Rating: 3.0

If this isn’t your thing then please still check out Golden Days, which is a bona fide classic in my eyes (and quite a few others’)

Album Rating: 4.5

Thanks fogza :-) this LP is essentially quirky indie-folk/rock, although they have both punk and country roots. I've been listening to them since their debut, so while I'm immune to their imperfections at this point, some of the comments itt are worth acknowledging as a disclaimer that their vocalist and/or style may take some time to appreciate. Also, while I agree with Squiggly that The Golden Days are Hard is awesome, I'd actually make the opposite recommendation if this ends up not being your thing. The Golden Days are Hard is similar to this in style and tempo, so I'd steer you towards their self-titled debut which is very energetic and has the aforementioned country-punk. Be advised though, it's even rawer than this. There's points where it sounds like the screeching vocals/guitars will scratch right through your speaker and enter your living room. I love that about it, but technically speaking it's an obvious flaw.

Thanks for your review, Sowing. Why does this one not get five stars from you? Just curious because your review seems overall really positive.

I have listened to half of it so far, and I think they have grown further as a band.

Album Rating: 3.0

Thank you all for your comments. Gonna look at the rest of the discog and/or a couple of songs just to see if this will change my mind about them

Album Rating: 4.5

@Boreque: I think in the past I handed out perfect scores too liberally. That combined with the fact that Ozzy's Palace is a bit of a cumbersome opener had me sitting around a 4.2-4.5 for this, but I gave it the benefit of the doubt because these guys' music always grows on me. I know I gave both of their other albums 5's, but this may end up being my favorite in the long run. They've definitely grown as a band and that's reflected in just how expansive yet elegant these tracks are.

@sowing: I understand. Also curious to see how this one will appeal to me over time. In any case, thanks for pointing this band out - there really is nothing like them.

Album Rating: 3.0

I agree that this will have to grow on me at least. The only songs that are really grabbing me are the singles and Polar Bears so far.

Album Rating: 4.5

Polar Bears is definitely excellent.



I'm surprised more people aren't gushing over Annex Clinic & Pharmacy. That was an immediate standout for me and it wasn't a single.

Love coming to this site to discover bands like this.

Even more exciting is that they are based in Toronto which is very close to me. Definitely need to follow them to see them live.

Album Rating: 4.5

They seem like great people; I've never had an interaction with them that qualified as anything less than pleasant and incredibly kind. If you end up going to a show I'm sure you won't be disappointed with the music or with them as people.