in the dark it comes easy

The Balconies – Smells Like Secrets
The Balconies – Serious Bedtime

Another Canadian act.  These guys are really young and really from Ottawa, which seems to be growing into the new hotspot for Canadian acts (but it’s maybe more the fact that everywhere is a hotspot these days).  They sound a little like their Ottawa counterparts HILOTRONS, who are a terribly underrated band that as of yet haven’t got the motion from underneath to move up in the world of career music — but The Balconies seem to be heating up fast.

It’s easy to get excited about the male vocal delivery — which is punchy and not without a certain style to it — but the best part is Jacquie Neville’s voice, which, when in play, is huge, volatile, packed with energy — whether as the centrepiece or simply ooohing and ahhhing in the back.