MUSIC REVIEWS
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TANLINES - Mixed Emotions 2012 (True Panther; 2012) I fell in love in Paris. With Tanlines. Mixed Emotions, the debut album release from friends Eric Emm and Jesse Cohen, is a smart and punchy fusion of pop, electro and indie rock. As the title suggests, listen to the album from start to finish and you’ll likely find yourself zoning out as these guys take you on an emotional trip down your personal memory lane. Close your eyes to Brothers and remember the summer night’s when the wind was warm and morning came too soon. Ride your bike to All of Me, lay on the beach to Yes Way, party to Cactus, make-out to Not the Same and finish things off nicely with Nonesuch you’ll swear you just walked into an angst filled John Hughes’ prom scene (in the good way). Mixed Emotions gives me good feelings a musical feat of it’s own and has been on repeat since it’s discovery. If you haven’t found the soundtrack to your summer quite yet, I’d urge you to start (and maybe just finish) here. Rating: 4 / 5 - KendraJasper
CASINO - Sainte Rose (BTR Records; 2012) Bred a few miles out of Montreal, Casino has taken a leap beyond their garage door and into the ‘scape of streets and sidewalks with their EP titled Sainte Rose. Brother duo and long-time neighbourhood friends, who’ve earned the ties of endearment among matching bracelets, form a collective that epitomizes everlasting childhood ambition which never proves to grow old. Words that dig up lost hopes and dreams translate into playful pop melodies with smirky vocals that fit neatly beyond crisp arrangements. The seven tracks and their charisma readily provide you with an accommodating back-drop for a few laps around the cruise that lent an ear to vulnerable emotion when you were sixteen. Nostalgic recollections surface between catchy rhymes and urging sing-alongs. Relatable harmonies layered over fairy-tale rhythms might have the dance floor consumed at your local Sok Hop, but you still may find the rebels paper-bagging it in the washrooms. Casino’s admirable efforts and flirty tones may inevitably place ‘Language’ on your Christmas list this year - for all your cousins still tackling puberty. Rating: 3 / 5 - Leah Kiefer
ZULU WINTER – Language (Arts & Crafts; 2012) The first LP released by British band Zulu Winter tells a tale of a soul eagerly trying to uncover its outer image and inner desire. The swirly melodies and dreamy tones seem suitable for a cruisy walk through your favorite park, but your intrigue may sway among the tranquility of the trees rather than the buds in your ears. Frontman Will Daunt’s droning vocals coo with subtle optimism layering over melancholic guitar rants. As potential glimpses through attempted experimentalism, the quartet could have taken a bolder step towards revealing their confidence. Daunt’s cry, “What kind of man are you, holding onto that feeling?” sung in ‘Small Pieces’, lacks a genuine execution that leads to a loss of anticipation for the stories next chapter. The hipster album artwork resembling a faint photograph projected on draped fabric, may urge Zulu Winter to rearrange their route in attempting to stimulate an interest beyond the threads. These blokes are fresh off the boat but perhaps they’ll consider an identity reassessment to keep it rocking before their next release. Rating: 2 / 5 - Leah Kiefer - 103 -