Sheer Agony

Montreal's Sheer Agony wrap their power pop swagger in the geek pop charms of forefathers the DBs and The Soft Boys, jamming as many jitters as hooks into their shaggy pop tracks. Masterpiece might be a boastful title but there's a definite overflow of charm inherit in this baker's dozen of pixelated pop. Standout single "I Have a Dream" treads the same angular neon puddles that Brooklyn's undersung heros Punks on Mars waded through. and the band knows how to play up hearstring crush to a glowing swell when need be. They've certainly bought the texts and taken the tests, and for what its worth their marks are good. But that crinkled weird streak that twists through the dreamboat strums will always leave them pining and preening for the horn rim set more than the kids at the cool table and maybe that's just the way they like it. From the circular spin of "I Used To Be Darker" to the inky currents riding the tails of "Fizzical Lime," balanced by the clipped psych-pop endings of "Literary Arts," they have a firm hand on the pop parlance and wind their way through a good bit of territory while still keeping that power pop badge front and center. A nice outing for the fledgling Couple Skate and a bit of a snoozed on gem from the past year all together.

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