Taking A Spin

The Bicycles are a lot like the Archies, and not just musically. Toronto’s favourite neo-bubblegum act belong to a bona fide gang that help keep fun ideas flowing. With help from local comics Holly Prazoff, Inessa Frantowski and Jared Sales, the Bicycles have released an interactive game — a DVD packaged with a foldout board — to accompany their latest record, The Good The Bad and the Cuddly. Players must get the band to a gig before their rivals, the Motorcycles, swipe it out from under them; Prazoff and Frantowski join band members onscreen as characters ranging from malicious band-managing skids to crotchety old ladies to start and stall the journey. Extras, including music videos and comedy shorts, are icing on the sugary sweet cake. The concept is well executed and, as one would expect, horrifyingly cute. The only drawback is that you’ll need to find a "gang” of your own to participate.