Entire Cities - Deep River

When I last saw Entire Cities at one of TWM's Rancho Relaxo showcases last year, I was totally blown away by their passion and zeal for putting on a lively performance. I haven't been able to seize the opportunity to see them again (yet) but I was anxiously looking forward to seeing if they could interpret that live energy onto a recorded CD. Well, having just picked up their latest Deep River EP, I can certainly answer with an exuberant Yes! I can't think of the last time I heard a band so successfully accomplish such. Even some of my favorite live acts (Broken Social Scene and The Sadies, for example) have not been able to harness that sound that they so successfully create live, and simulate it to disc the way that Entire Cities have been able to do on this little 8 song release.

The songs are beyond infectious, the production is sublime and Simon Borer's gruff voice is unmistakably unique. Entire Cities is another band that falls under the great Canadian collective category, boasting more members than track titles, and the songs range from hootenanny hoedowns to full blown grandiose epics. Most importantly though, the band sounds like they're having the time of their life, and that is something that is hard to accomplish in a studio setting. But when it works, like it clearly does here, there is nothing more contagious. I hope that there are more great things in store for this psychedelic cowpunk collective.

Download: Accountant's Dream mp3

Myspace: Entire Cities
Video: Talkers live @ Zaphod's on youtube