Album Review: The Breezes – The Breezes

The Breezes
The Breezes
Independent

From the snowy streets of Montreal comes The Breezes, the new LP from the band with the same name. As the name of the record may imply, the band’s debut work is a collection of light, airy tunes that awaken a sense of nostalgia. Comparable to Toronto’s The Bicycles, The Breezes pump out songs that are catchy, cutesy and poppy, but with a sleepier, groggier twist. The stick-in-your head melody of “Promethean Eyes,” a standout on the record, is lilting and fluffy. Bathed in strings, the song sounds like a drugged-out, smoky ’70s Disco flashback, as does much of the album. The record definitely has a retro feel to it, with dreamy synth stabs and shimmery string choruses all over the place. Moments of familiarity blend with moments of experimentation, producing a record that’s simultaneously old and new, safe and daring. At times, the singer’s voice borders the fine line between being off-putting and being quirky and endearing. The vocals can come off as a bit juvenile and grating, while soothing at other points; a bit of a strange mix, but it keeps things interesting. Overall, The Breezes is a fun and enjoyable listen.

Maria Sokulsky-Dolnycky (Twitter @marisodo) 

thebreezes.bandcamp.com/(INCLUDE LINK TO ARTIST PAGE, USING THE PAPER CLIP SYMBOL)