Tallies
Tallies
(Kanine)
This is the debut album from Toronto
band Tallies and it feels like I
should’ve been listening to this for years already. Their brand of bright intricate catchy
melodies with sharp lyrics is the type of thing I’ve always hungrily sought out
since about the time I first heard The
Sundays, so this new album already feels like an old friend.
The album opens with “Trouble,” which
begins with a sole drum beat fading in before it suddenly bursts into bright
chiming guitars and a rumbling bass and Sarah
Cogan warning us poetically that we all need to be more careful and heed
signs of potential trouble. And we’re
off to the races, as “Trouble” melts right into the first single “Mother” – an impeccable
tune that continues that lesson of questioning things that are going on around us
and finding the right path. Two songs on
in and this album had me giddy because it evokes the greatness of the
afore-mentioned Sundays (check out the huge guitar strum and bass groove of “Midnight”),
The Innocence Mission, and mostly
the short-lived Delicious Monster. Cogan’s strong vocals remind me of a cross
between Kristin Hersh and Rachel Mayfield, while Dylan Franklin creates instantly
memorable, detailed guitar lines that make this pairing instantly crucial. Though I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the tight and versatile playing of Stephen Pitman and Cian O'Niell on bass and drums respectively. The next two songs are maybe my two favorite
songs on the album. “Have You” has Cogan
wondering if her partner is really getting her.
The repetitiveness of the “Have You” chorus works well in its building
anger and frustration. I dare you not to
let it get to you as well as get it stuck in your head. “Not So Proud” is where Cogan really shines
as she belts out her words with an urgent intensity.
There are plenty of highlights to be
found in the second half of Tallies. “Eden” is a breezy sounding classic with a
bridge and chorus to die for, while “Beat the Heart “is instantly addictive and
another showcase of talent. “Giving Up”
shifts up the sound a bit with an almost flamenco rhythm. The album closer, “Easy Enough,” comes out
with a stream-lined wide open feel, like the band should be performing on a
wind-swept cliff looming over the ocean.
A song like this makes me wonder why the entire world isn’t singing
along.
Aside from the crisp sounding “Mother,”
most of these songs are washed in a gauzy rainy day haze that reminds of the
debut albums from The Ocean Blue and
Trashcan Sinatras, which is high
praise, but it makes me wonder what this album would be like without the Vaseline
on the lens. Whatever the case, this is
an amazing debut and I’m pretty sure I’ll be listening to this one for years
and years to come. I encourage you to
explore for yourself. By the way, the
physical versions come with a very pretty additional song “Trains and Snow.”
Tallies "Mother"
No comments:
Post a Comment