NEAR TO THE WILD HEART OF LIFE | JAPANDROIDS

6.3.17 While being an amazing cosmopolitan and visually stunning city, over the decades, Vancouver has not produced the number of musical acts that it's Yank neighbors to the south has. In the recent decade plus the volume of solid Van City acts has stepped up on the indie side of things with the likes of the New Pornographers and Neko Case, Black Mountain, Destroyer and this duo, Japandroids. 

The Japandroid's sound has echos of Hüsker Dü and Sonic Youth. Like other guitar/drum duos the Black Keyes and Whites Stripes, Nippon-droids have a stripped down raw sound. At times their vocals remind me of fellow Canadian well populated group Broken Social Scene.

I really liked their breakout record 2009s Post Nothing and the 2012 follow up Celebration Rock. Both of these discs are full of youth energy and velocity.

Near to the Wild Heart of Life has a more mature produced sound than its predecessors. Not a bad thing as their sound has become more solo Bob Mould than Hüsker Dü. For a 2 piece act they sure produce a full layered sound with well effected power guitar, stacked vocals and studio trickery here. Ultimately an uplifting record full of driving guitar and soaring vocals Near to the... is quite good and I will forgive the "millennial whoops" in 2 the opening tracks and that it lacks the grit of the previous records. 

Check out "Arc Of Bar" and a nice building thunder tom tune "True Love and a Free Life of Free Will". . .