Japandroids = Good Old Fashioned Rock

The Japandroids have guts. Any band that opens their record with the sound of fireworks going off better be able to back it up. Luckily this sparse two piece outfit has enough hooks to pull it off. "Celebration Rock" is an ode to all things rock n roll. It's a throw back and a leap forward all at once. It is by dad the most anthemic record produced this year.

"The Nights of Wine and Roses" explodes though the speakers lead by the steady drumming of David Prowse that propels the song to great heights. When lead singer Brian King tells launches into the tale of lost innocence on "Fire's Highway" he seems to be channeling Springsteen without aping him. For a two piece band there Ida lot of space in the songs. Guitar notes are left to longer into feedback before exploding again. There's a punk ethos underlying the songs like "Evil's Sway" and the sure to be love sing along staple "The House Heaven Built". The closing "Continuous Thunder" has a slight downshift in tempo that echoes Monster Era R.E.M. This is without a doubt the driving record of the year and a top 5 album of the year for sure.

http://cdn.epitonic.com/uploads/tracks/Japandroids-The_Nights_of_Wine_and_Roses.mp3