Parc Avenue is the first real LP from Plants and Animals, the arty and expressive Montreal trio. Released on Secret City Records, it was recorded before their last EP, With/Avec, yet this album feels like Plants and Animals are now fully realized. Filled with spontaneity and jubilant, Parc Avenue is a joyous work of Arcade Fire-like enormity, set between three friends and many well-wishers. The opener “Bye Bye Bye” jumps head first into a Polyphonic Spree-like chorus and a builds into an operatic anthem. “Good Friend” has a haunting riff set over a repetitive “I want to dance,” like a call to arms. The album is constantly surprising and diverse. Plants and Animals move from piece to piece flawlessly, blending every niche in the musical scope to create something at once familiar and incredibly original. The songs are rooted in natural tones and settings, with nothing out of place or unnecessary. Every track is an exploration in rhythm and tone, transitioning before becoming stale and keeping every song fresh. Some tracks even move into prog territory with hippie affections, keeping the guessing game up throughout. Guitarist and singer Warren Spicer met drummer Matthew Woodley in grammar school, and the two friends met bassist Nicolas Basque in college. As music majors, the trio originally came out with complicated songs that required a degree to appreciate. Now with Parc Avenue, the group walks that line between artsy and accessible better than most.
-C.S.
Plants and Animals: www.plantsandanimals.ca
Secret City Records: www.secretcityrecords.com