Quick hitters:: Wintermitts release Heirloom

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There are some band's you always remember for a certain reason, whether it's for the music or just the situation. For me, the Wintermitts falls into that category. When I first moved to Vancouver, I was staying on Shawn Lapaix's couch until I found a place. I won't lie, living in an apartment with no furniture, TV, phone or food is a pretty boring experience.

Being the kind hearted guy he is, he gave me some music to listen to through the factory speakers on my iBook. One of those records was the Wintermitts Alouette EP and it's one I still listen to today. And since I'll be back in Vancouver for a week, it's perfect timing that Lise Monique sent over a sneak preview of the new record.

It's hard to describe the 'Mitts in words that make sense musically. They are bilingual, quirky, folky, get terrific use of an accordion, constantly change their sound and for some reason, even though it seems like an unintentional slight, I think it's important to mention that I don't think they take themselves too seriously. Their music is fun and they have fun playing it.

They play emotional, lo-fi nuggets (which isn't surprising since they are named after a Julie Doiron tune) and even though Schoolyard retains the gritty DIY style I'm used to, for some reason, it just seems bigger - everything about Heirlooms does. Xylophones, a fuzzy bass line and the accordion dance and ooze around Monique's vocals. I remember when I saw the Mitts open for Julie Doiron and the Superfantastics they had the Church crowd crowd dancing (as usual) and I think Heirloom is the record that transfers those fun loving live sets to the studio. It's the little things, like the well placed triangle (that adds so much to a live show) that comes through so clearly that make these recordings so nice.

Crossing Bridges showcases some flute and heavy guitar, and the band makes the 2:39 feel like twenty seconds. The song barely ends before you feel the urge to hit repeat. It also makes me think the Mitts would be a perfect collaboration contender for a rapper on the CBC Fuse series. Mer de L'Atlantique starts of with some cymbal washes, more xylophone and beautiful slow bowed strings. The accordion thickens up the mix, but the track is still intimate. But over the 4-minutes, they heighten the intensity and the track smolders.

But so far, the star of the show is DANS. Quite simply put, the song explodes out of your headphones. The electric, drums and melodica craft a bouncy riff and the sing shout chorus makes it impossible to ignore the catchiness of the song. Plus, Lise lists her favorite beer as Granville Island Winter Ale, which could be the nectar of the gods. All in all, this has got me excited to pound my feet on some familiar concrete next week.