High Dials

Borrowing as much from the Chemical Brothers as the "summer of love” Beatles, Montreal’s the High Dials have created a psychedelic dance party with their latest EP. The title track is given three mixes here, though its "radio mix” is the most satisfying of the lot. If the Chemicals sought out Robert Pollard as frequently as they do Noel Gallagher, the results would surely approximate what the High Dials accomplish here. "City Rivers” is an energetic take on the Fab Four’s "Tomorrow Never Knows” that is as liable to ignite a dance floor as it is to trip some confused wasteoid out. Things get prettier on the Ray Davies-influenced "The House Where Trouble Sleeps” and requisitely mystical on the sitar-led instrumental "Things Are Getting Better,” that conflates several aspects of Revolver (most obviously "Taxman” and "Got to Get You Into My Life”) into one song. In essence, Fields in Glass finds the High Dials applying contemporary notions of Britpop to the heady days of the ’60s where British rock royalty ruled. It is surely a derivative concoction in their hands, however, the band pull it off here with great aplomb.