Quick hitters:: The Darcys

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While debating how much I want to dive into the new Bruce Peninsula – I mean, it’s over a month before the “physical” release date – I noticed that the Halifax/Toronto band The Darcys is opening up for the collective in Toronto on January 31st.

Now, I’m not one to get filled up with pride about my alma mater, but the Darcy’s were formed during their days at University of King’s in Halifax, a school that counts this blogger as one of their most valued former students. I know it's nothing shocking for a bunch of college kids to start a band, but when I went to the school there the only music I remember seeing was a two man concert in the Ward room featuring Kunga and Josh Martinez and they did a freestyle using the beat and chorus from a Notorious B.I.G. jam, so it’s nice to see some music coming out of the school.

Anyway... The Darcys. Their debut EP – Endless Water – has been out for a while now (since 2007) and while it is a great listen, I’m more excited to see what they deliver on their upcoming release. The band really has a swagger about them and after a few songs you start to hear all the influences the band samples, none of which seem above their skill level. Throw in the fact they’ve been working hard playing live shows, and I would expect the energy and results to be even better this time around.

For a young band, dipping into the sounds of Pavement and Radioheadis very common, but very few new bands are able to control the influences that inspire them without blatantly ripping them off. The Darcys never fall victim to trying to write a song that fits sounds like “X”. Instead they write riffs and play with sounds that you wouldn’t expect to fit together. They can fill the dance floor ( the disco, jammy I’m a Ship), hit you with an old fashioned power ballad or create a sleepy haze ( Where Are Your Daughters? (No More Love Songs)), but are at their best when they jump around all of the styles.

Honestly, on the surface it’s hard to tell you why these guys stand out from the hundreds of other bands you might want to try to describe the same way. The combination of East Coast and across the pond sounds just works well in a way that you wouldn’t expect. The crunch of the guitars and Anglo-influenced vocals on Ultra sound good, but it’s the bubbling undercurrent they add that really grabs your ear, and the classic rock keyboards that come out of nowhere that blows you away.

They even manage to take some risks that pay off. The French vocals on the title track could come off as pretentious, but the beautiful harmonies and a measured pace pull you close, and just when the track might start to lose the listener might, they explode into a quick sprint to refresh the track. You don't really have a chance to think, you just sit back and enjoy the track.

Definitely one to look out for in '09.

Labels: Canada, Music