This writer's frequently turned cartwheels thanks to revelatory releases by artists from Toronto, Montreal and the British Columbia hinterland over the past couple of years, but all of a sudden the reverberations appear to be sounding from the previously-neglected Atlantic seaboard of Canada.
The first of two such Canadian releases standing proudly in your reviewer's path today hails from Fredericton in the New Brunswick province. Or “The Maritimes” as the locals refer to it. Its' authors are a quartet called GRAND THEFT BUS and throughout 'Made Upwards' they prove themselves consistently capable of twisting tried and tested angular indie into some notably fresh and exciting shapes.
Opener 'Do I Have To Dance?' makes it abundantly clear that GTB have one important aspect that gives them an immediate advantage: a great drummer. Yes, his drums are mixed incredibly loud and upfront (think The Comsat Angels' 'Sleep No More' or XTC's 'Black Sea') but Bob Deveau is a tremendous sticks man and he produces percussive miracles throughout the whole album, urging the band to jump through sonic hoops a lesser group might baulk at. In the case of 'Do I Have To Dance?' he's pushing along wonky synths and guitars going from jerky to chiming and the song's idiosyncratic pop groove fleetingly recalls Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, The Shins and early XTC as it bowls along.
The great thing about GTB'S apparently angularity is that it doesn't sound contrived. Four or five years ago, everyone and their terrapin seemed to be clinging to Maximo Park and their ilk's coat-tails, yet the inherent herky-jerkiness of GTB's sound appears to have been arrived at organically. Yes, they have songs such as 'Automatic' and 'White Flags' which pivot around infectiously scratchy guitar motifs and Deveau's relentless discoid beats, but they also welcome in scrubbed and percussive acoustic guitars when it takes their fancy ('Private Wars'), make a point of letting layered harmonies join the party ('I Guess Not, I Guess', 'Private Wars') and on 'Don't Go Say That' even let fly with the kind of strum-stun riffing The Wedding Present used to make sound so bracing.
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Yes, there's the occasional sojourn into plot-losing like the meandering 'Fifo', although even this segues thrillingly into one of the album's best tracks in 'O Ma' which is steely and purposeful and ramps up the drama even without the benefit of a big chorus. They round off with another belter courtesy of 'Someone Who Knows' which recalls the left-field tension of Sonic Youth's 'Dirty' before it grips the reins of its' own pop adventure and holds on for the ride of its' life.
Grand Theft Bus, then, don't so much commit larceny on a grand scale as display a magpie-style knack for cherry picking the brightest bits of kit to dress up their reliable and roadworthy popmobile. 'Made Upwards' suggests that it's a vehicle that's well worth taking and driving away, so give them a chance and send the cops the other way as they get a head start on the highway.
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