Out at the back end of last year across the pond, the latest output from Canadian label du jour Arts & Crafts now gets an airing over here.
The Most Serene Republic (TMSR) are a six piece from the suburbs of Toronto and ‘Population’ is their third and most polished album to date. Wilfully eclectic, the record flits around in style, touching on lounge jazz, classical and, dare I say it, prog-rock in places but largely intelligent variations on the theme of Indie.
However, all of the out-there experimentalism is gently counterbalanced by the fact that the group never lose sight of their pop sensibilities. So, as the beats & strings skitter around, there is always a core of hook and melody that ultimately make this record captivating.
Opening with what sounds very much like an orchestra tuning, they quickly launch in to the kind of song that is very representative of what is to follow. ‘Compliance’ has a galloping beat at a furious tempo, strings and guitars twinning around each other and an engaging boy / girl counterpoint vocal. Lovely.
The multi-layered theme continues throughout ‘Population’ giving the record a deeply textured, complex feel without ever becoming too dense to listen to, a clever trick that Guillemots, probably the closest UK reference point, would do well to take note of.
There are odd occasions where TMSR stray off in to what almost sounds like Test Card music, ‘A Mix Of Sun And Cloud’, but this is forgivable in a band who can follow it up with a song as good as ‘Battle Hymn Of The Republic’.
Canadian music is in a rich vein of form at the moment, and if there is any justice in the world the ‘Population’ should catapult TSMR right to the front of the movement.
Top Tracks: ‘Present Of Future End’, ‘Battle Hymn Of The Republic’, ‘Career In Shaping Clay’.
Released 31/03/08 on Arts & Crafts
Posted by Dan on March 11, 2008
Related links
Most Serene Republic Official Site
Most Serene Republic on MySpace
Arts & Crafts Records
