The Stills - 'Logic Will Break Your Heart' (679)
3/5
By: Matt Tomiak
Hot on the heels of everyone's favourite swoonsome Dublin lads The Thrills and noirish 50s-themed duo The Kills come, erm... another definite article band whose name ends in -ills. And falling squarely into the former's category of traditional-yet-interesting indie-rock, The Stills look a sound bet for emulating their success.
What with the unstoppable rise of the Franz Ferdinand fellows, it's becoming harder to dispute the once unlikely notion that (at least in musical terms) the 1980s are Officially Fashionable. This new generation of guitar acts may have grown up in the age of Thatcherism (well, the UK ones at least), shoulder-pads and 'Dallas', but taking in bits from Joy Division, The Cure, Echo and The Bunnymen, The Jesus and Mary Chain and early U2 must surely rank as a Good Thing.
But The Stills don't subsist on an exclusively 80s blend of influences. Perennial favourites like 'anthemic' and 'widescreen' are appropriate when describing this band, and the lofty scope of 'Logic Will Break Your Heart' bears testimony to The Still's grandiose predecessors. (Of course, rockfeedback is well enough acquainted with the five high-cheekboned Montreal boys - they played a memorable set at our monthly club-night at The Basement last summer - to know this already). 'Radiohead' and 'The Bends', otherwise, are another two such appropriate markers, although 'Changes Are No Good' and 'Ready For It' intimate Elbow's considered prog-workings to good effect.
Meanwhile, the sombre 'Still in Love Song' and 'Gender Bombs' are akin to the work of newer contenders like Longview and Leaves, and it wouldn't be unjust to call both 'Animals and Insects' and 'Let's Roll' absolutely lovely. As such, twelve slices of lustrous, literate guitar music make for one robust debut record.
Artists in this article: The Stills
Your Feedback
Login to post your comment