Vancouvers indie dance rock scene has been churning out stars and the Book of Lists arent exactly an exception to that current trend but neither are they a perfect example. If theres anything holding them back from fulfilling their home citys prestigious following its the fact that they wear their influences a little too proudly. The Book of Lists love UK jangle pop just as much as the Strokes and their second album, produced by Josh Wells (of Black Mountain), is an ambitious set of songs that most likely translate into extremely energetic live sets but when recorded, sound slightly flat and generic. In some cases the band shine. "The Bathers is experimental and ambient, straying from their mainly guitar-led approach. "Eating Silver hooks and swerves diligently with guitar work thats pretty like a dandelion, not a rose. The ending of the album is perfect but the Book of Lists dont quite measure up to the real thing. The Arctic Monkeys come across as a hell of a lot more passionate, as do Bloc Party. The Book of Lists need to throw in some new elements to make them great at a formula they are currently simply good at recycling. For now, their experienced and pristine indie rock may go largely unnoticed but is sure to light up a few parties.
(Scratch, www.scratchrecords.com)
(Scratch)(Scratch, www.scratchrecords.com)