The Karpinka Brothers

The Karpinka Brothers get more ambitious on their sophomore release, but still exhibit the same freshly scrubbed charm that filled their 2008 debut, One Brick at a Time. The Saskatoon, SK brothers have stepped it up this time with a full band album that does justice to their simple melodies and vocal harmonies. There's nostalgia in the air, along with rich arrangements and a modern edge that add depth to this solid crop of catchy, up-tempo pop songs. In opener "Save it for a Rainy Day," the sonic sparkle is paired with yearning lyrics that add a hint of salty to the sweet. The undercurrent of sadness is most evident in the slightly spicier "By Your Side" and in the disconnect between chorus and verse in "Everybody Wants To Be My Friend." The Karpinkas also temper the cheeriness of their compositions with covers of lovesick ballads, such as Nick Lowe's "Rome Wasn't Built in a Day" and Iron and Wine's "Each Coming Night."