Cults

Lee's Palace, Toronto ON June 17

BY Scott TavenerPublished Jun 19, 2011

On their self-titled debut, New York duo Cults constructed a deceptively sophisticated sound, led by singer Madeline Follin's coquettish vocals but fleshed out by multi-instrumentalist Brian Oblivion's subtle colouring. In their five-piece live incarnation, the band added plenty of bluster, piling on the bass drum and cranking up a wall of guitar. The results were unexpectedly stirring, especially on burners like "Rave On" and "Abducted." Even de facto hit, "Go Outside" -- a summer-perfect glockenspiel-driven track -- enjoyed the steroid treatment, though "Oh My God," with its casually sticky hook, was the set's apotheosis.

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