The Ghost is Dancing. Why? Because he has probably been listening to the debut album from this Toronto nine piece. Well I don't believe in ghosts but that sounds like a good story. What is it with Canadians and ghosts? If they are not singing about them they are naming bands after them. But I digress. "The Darkest Spark" is a wonderful slice of rousing pop that is a joy to listen to. The easy comparison to make (because of their origin) is to Arcade Fire or Broken Social Scene. Now, they are a large band and they have rousing choruses and tonnes of instrumentation but they aren't as dark or mature as those bands. They have a lighter touch. I think a better comparison would be We All Have Hooks For Hands. They share that youthful exuberance, each song has a bounce and a step to it that is hard to resist. Their album was recorded in October, 2006 on Toronto Island and it is a kaleidoscopic piece of music. The vocals are pushed to the front, clear and distinct, while there are horns and strings a plenty to augment the music. Even though the album has plenty of charm and up tempo numbers, there is a little dark to compliment the light. "Greatlakescape" is gorgeously mournful whilst "The Dark and the Bright" has a quiet strength. I think though, my two favourite tracks are the closing two. "Wait Another Day" and "Arrivals" are a glimpse into the future perhaps. Whilst both very singable they show that this young band has the talent to write songs that will last longer then the 24 hours news cycle. If you want to check out a band going places investigate The Ghost is Dancing.
MP3: Shuttles and Planes
Available for purchase at Amazon.