Ten Year Drought

This foursome from Ontario is not a jolly bunch, and from their second album they wouldn’t have you believe any differently. Introspection and emotions are the order of the day here and they couldn’t do it any less self-indulgently. The sincerity behind these eight songs comes through with each slow and deliberate note — one of the greatest strengths is the way the music just ambles along in such a casual way behind Adam Fox’s under-embellished singing. His voice is in such contrast to his fanciful guitar styling that it’s hard to think they come from the same person. He takes his instrument on beautifully serene and melancholy journeys while keeping things in the vocal department appropriately muted and restrained. The vocal melodies on the melodious "Still Inside” work wonders in mixing it up a bit, but by track five, "Drain and Fade,” Fox proves his style can sustain as all of a sudden you feel like your heart weighs several pounds more. The slide guitar adds a sleepy feel and they also cleverly drop in piano tinkling and violin stroking. Overall melodic and shoegaze-y, but the songs don’t get lost in wishy-washiness and most importantly, they get you where it counts. These are songs for the end of your day. This is music that makes you hear what a sunset would sound like if it was a song.