Plants and Animals
"Parc Avenue"
Label: Secret City Records
Release Date: March 25, 2008
Say what we will about our Northern neighbor, yet it can't be denied that some of the music from Canada is a force to be respected and yes, even reckoned with.
"Parc Avenue," Plants and Animals' first full-length album, is the labor of vocalist-guitarist Warren Spicer, drummer Matthew Woodley and guitar-bassist Nicolas Basque. Unassuming in their style (except, perhaps, for some suspiciously styled facial hair) their laid back appearance stands in stark contrast to the well-honed songs of their debut.
This isn't simply a group of for hire hands. They're songwriters, and each has mastered his instrument. Their songs evolve in movements, yet each stands intrinsically linked with an underlying pop simplicity.
This debut album brings indie away from pretentiousness and into a soulful, and quite happy little place, filled with whistling and the talents of a family choir.
Tracks like "Mercy" and "A New Kind of Love" relay this affectionate temperament. "Mercy" harkens to the Soul Train days, complete with chants and handclaps. The latter incorporates the spirit and swell of a full orchestra. Even tracks less overtly joyous, such as "Good Friend," are ballads that express longing in a defiant, not defeated, manner.