Early Day Miners
(Secretly Canadian)
The Early Day Miners haven't suddenly decided to get happy on their latest album, but The Treatment definitely finds them moving into a more upbeat territory. The eight songs each last an average of five minutes, developing moods with repetitive riffs and contemplative vocals that practically ask for dance floor movement, even as the lyrical matter remains uncertain and a little obtuse.
"How to Fall," perfectly placed at the midway point, starts with a percolating bass and congas which set the scene for layers of cascading tremolo guitars and maracas, the latter to increase the feel of the groove. "The Surface of Things" has a dreamy beauty to it, with a rim-and-snare beat and more of those guitars and keyboards coming and going, ensuring that these six minutes go by without it seeming that long. The Miners also end the album on a mysterious note: After the epic "Becloud," with its echoey falsetto backing vocals and new wave synths, "Silver Oath," features a couple guitars with a country twang in a piece that barely gets started before the group suddenly vanishes after two minutes. This is what dance music is all about.
Standout Tracks: "How To Fall," "The Zip" MIKE SHANLEY
