reviewed by Elena Gritzan
Most People’s self-titled debut fades in with electronic flickers, setting the stage for the textured, atmospheric experimental pop record to follow. The two minute instrumental opening actually brings in a lot of the elements that define the two-piece’s sound: gently plucked guitar lines weave around the rolling instrumental textures, with ‘ooh’s and ‘woah’s floating around. All of this bleeds into the hooky bass riff of “While the River Waits.” It’s pop magic. Whether you’re coming across them for the first time or have captured their layered live show in its journeys across Toronto, this is an album to pay attention to.
A sense of playfulness permeates the recording; it’s hard not to smile when a shout of “Let’s go!” precedes a percussive break-down on “You Said”. It’s a record full of fun times: whistling! Snapping! Harmonies! Precise percussion is an element found throughout, providing great contrast to the organic, flowy nature of the melodies and Brandon Gibson-DeGroote’s distinctive voice.
The mid-point of the album is “The Long Way Home”, an eight minute build-up from whistles and wind chimes to a transcendent crescendo of a groove. It ends on an epic note with blended vocal harmonies and dramatic hits of a drum. The song pulls off in its own arc what the album does on a grander scale: masterfully combining both beautiful atmospheric moments and infectious pop . Slower, introspective bridges give the listener a chance to reflect and set the tone before diving into more sway-inducing choruses.
Can we talk for a minute about how good these two are at writing a memorable pop song? “Young and Wild” is the best example: it’s catchy, optimistic, and fun. The lyrical content, apparent from the title, is a good reflection of their music. They’re fresh, they’re original, they take risks. All of which add up to an album that practically begs to be put on repeat.
It is hard for me to separate these songs from the thoughts of warm weather, sand, and blue skies, which is probably a reflection of my own summer months spent listening to their pre-release on scorching walks across the city as much as a result of the sunny hooks and outdoorsy imagery. But spending time with them now inside, curled up in a blanket with some hot chocolate, is showing me that appreciating the emotional content of the lyrics and engaging with the multi-layered sound is something that certainly translates all year round. This is an album for dancing to before a party, for sound-tracking lazy afternoons at home, for sharing with friends. Basically, it’s an album for anywhere and any time, it’s that good.
Catch their record release show on Saturday, December 1 at Cinecycle with Triple Gangers and THOMAS.
Top Tracks: “Young and Wild”, “You Said”, “Waiting in a Line”
Rating: Proud Hoot (really good) + *swoop*
