Parlovr

Hockey talk and a vocals-only mix aren't an auspicious way to begin a gig, though, as it turns out, starting in the gutter staring at the stars is better than shooting at the sky and hitting the ceiling (it's the Oscar Wilde/Noah Baumbach corollary, I think). After evening out the mix during a pair of amiable garage-inspired stompers, Montreal trio Parlovr went happily off the rails. Frontmen Alex Cooper and Louis David Jackson checked off a schizophrenic's list of influences, from Pavement and Titus Andronicus (particularly "Pen to Paper") to the Ramones and Grease, seamlessly blending yelps and high notes. Drummer Jeremy Maccuish had a knack for controlling the chaos, yet really shone when given free rein on tracks like the Wolf Parade/Two Gallants bastard "Hell, Heaven." Increasingly raucous, it was a grower of a show, but definitely worth the wait.