the Future

During the nearly three years between 's self-titled debut album and its sophomore full-length , there had been extensive touring, a first attempt at recording which proved to be a false start of sorts (though some of those songs ended up here), and a kind of development that would seem radical if these Vancouverites weren't so quirky to begin with. Certainly, the roots of this sound are evident on the debut album. It's loaded with trippy and tropes. But these are counterweighted with a drenched-in-prog-and- bombast that makes the title seem ironic. If not laugh out loud funny. That's right: -like riffery and knotty, multi-part structures worthy of are all entwined with pixie-ish protocol, acid-laced (think meets 's early period duets with on the 's ). The weird thing is, despite its obvious nods to collections, including not only but , 's entire period, 's first three albums, (where some of these rather drenched-in-warped-myth lyrics were derived from; but then they're Canadians too), and , with a touch of the optimism of -- all is tempered by 's sleepy delivery -- sometimes in the same song! The sheer heaviness of tracks like that wails out of the gate with guitars in full pummel riffage, fuzzed out bassline, and floor tom, bass drum, hi hat fury are stretched out by layers of Mellotrons! Then, begin wailing wordlessly a la before takes the lead vocal and you're ready for your pith helmet! Where's when you need him? He's about all that's missing. It gets more insistent before it lets up with the starting-in-fifth-gear that winds and wends its way through a multi-dimensional journey densely packed with sonic wonkery, key and time changes, and the feeling of a journey through time and space for over eight minutes. The sheer sonic throb is balanced by long, droning Mellotron and analogue synth drones, tribal, chant-like drumming, and the pleading, world-weary, vulnerable voice of . It's quite a thing, but it's only a precursor to the truly epic near the end of the set that rages on for nearly 17 minutes. Fuzzy electrics, shimmering acoustics, and trance-like keyboards flit in and out between the alternating vocals of . The music picks up intensity, shifts direction numerous times, and careens across the and folkscapes of 's history from the late '60s through the '70s with great focus, wit, and ambition. There are other things like this here, too, with the utterly beautiful and tender lysergic explorations in where unplugged six-strings, tambourine, 's falsetto, and 's harmony are seamless, as of one voice. The lyrics are direct, but the sheer sparseness of the mix (organs hover in the backdrop) stands in such sharp contrast to that it's like a wake-up call from the ether. (Movie music directors, take heed: this is the one you want for those long reflective moments where the two main characters have parted to rethink their positions.) It picks up, but never too much; the bridge is wonderfully constructed with just enough ornamentation to take it up a notch texturally and dynamically. clocking in under two minutes could be a lost ' outtake. It's only a shame it's so brief. -- no relation to the number -- is all metallic with rumbling, quaking tom toms, piercing guitars, and huge organs challenging one another to overcome the vocals. As atrocious as this all sounds, perhaps, it's actually quite wonderful and it works without faltering. For what it is, is a stunning extension of the root sound arrived with. Part of the credit has to go to for his amazing mix. It's packed with stuff, but there's enough space here, and wonderfully warm atmospheres, to bring the listener right into the deeper sonic dimensions that is trying to create. That it's done without artificial sounding punch up or tons of digital effects makes it come together as a whole. There is no sophomore slump here. ~ Thom Jurek