The Paper Cranes--The Paper Cranes

Following in the footsteps of The Arcade Fire, Hot Hot Heat, Wolf Parade, Voxtrot, and Sound Team come The Paper Cranes who continue the proud tradition of embodying The Cure and The Smiths. Their debut self-titled release is five demo tracks that are getting the band a lot of attention. Now, let’s not kid ourselves, The Paper Cranes aren’t quite anything new and certainly aren’t refreshing or any silliness like that. Rather, they’re just damn good. The Cranes take that piano-infused soft-yet-strong playing style and rock with it, creating "Out on the Horse Tracks" which is the best on the EP. Behind a ballad-esque piano piece is a purely indie raw guitar backdrop with the Cranes’ interestingly off-color over the top. It’s horribly formulaic; yet vibrant, groovy, and wonderfully punchy. Franz Ferdinand-like guitar riffs come blasting through as well, and the Cranes become a patchwork of the best indie work out there. "Rabbit in a Snare" and the emotional (or emotionally mocking) "I’ll Love You Until My Veins Explode" don’t provide much new material for the music world, but still delight my ears while they play. "Milkrun" involves some interesting ‘80s keyboard work, and The Paper Cranes manage to always stay vibrant and flowing. Another delicious Canadian band to keep your eye on, The Paper Cranes hit the ground running with excellent use of indie styles.

(Published at MusicEmissions.com)