- Just in time for summer, Vancouver fuzz-pop band The Courtneys have released their first LP, also called The Courtneys, for distribution in Australia. It’s been out for a couple of months now overseas, but the late September release date marks the first time the band have officially taken their sun-dappled rock music to our shores. Taking My Bloody Valentine’s relentless guitar distortion, preppy post-punk riffs ripped straight from The Cure, and vocals reminiscent of Bratmobile and Bikini Kill, The Courtneys have produced a truly infectious pop album, with its roots firmly planted amongst some of the greatest and most influential acts in alt-rock musical history. From the opening strains of the first track, Nu Sunday, to the closing bars of the last song, Social Anxiety, the album maintains an apparently inexhaustible sense of exuberance: with short, punchy songs about boys, money problems, and living on the beach. Most of the tracks on the album clock at around the 3.00 minute mark, with no shortage of pop-hooks or sing-along choruses. The effect of all this reminds me a bit the of The Ramones: the tracks come and go so quickly, and are delivered with such a vigorous, authentic energy, that it’s difficult to imagine anyone listening to them without a smile on their face.

Like The Ramones, the lyrics are lucid, self-aware, and wryly ironic: shifting effortlessly between pop-cultural references, visual storytelling, and low-key auto-biographical reflection. You’ll enjoy a bit of misty-eyed nostalgia if you get the musical references, but you certainly don’t have to have a degree in musical history to appreciate this album. It’s bubbly, sincere, and ultimately addictive music. I can only hope this album is a sign that the band might be planning on a local tour – while it’s hard to get this kind of energy on a recording, and the presence of it here is a credit to both the sound engineers, and the musicians themselves, seeing them live would be a time to remember. I highly recommend this to fans of indie rock, riot grrl, and surf-inspired party music. I know – it’s a genre that seems to be pretty packed out this year. But The Courtneys do a better job than most. Check it out.

- Matthew Stoff.