SPUN: Library Voices - Denim On Denim

The wait is over. After months of promising to release a followup to 2008's Hunting Ghosts & Other Collected Shorts EP, Regina's own Library Voices have finally shared their debut full-length album with the world. And trust me, it is definitely worth the wait. Denim On Denim more than delivers on the promise shown on their six song EP. While there is nothing quite as instantly memorable as "Step Off The Map & Float," Library Voices come pretty damn close a few times. In particular, "Insider Trading (On Outsider Art)," "Bookish" and "Family Night" are all potential singles.

Denim on Denim is a natural progression for the band, while keeping the core strengths of the group intact. Like Elvis Costello, the band's songwriting consists of a wordiness that by all accounts should not fit into a pop hook. Yet, Carl Johnson and company have an uncanny knack for compacting an obscene amount of literate words into lines that are so hummable. For instance, try rattling off these tongue twisting lines from "Bookish," a song about online personas:

"Somebody's little starlet strapped in a strapless garment/ Pouts and poses for a pinhole/ Struts her stuff in megapixels/ Boasts her bands and interests/ Call it digital confidence/ But she looks so bookish when I pass her on the street."

There are also elements of the soft/loud dynamic made famous by the Pixies. This is really evident in opening track, and first single "Drinking Games." The song opens very softly, with only members of the band singing the chorus a cappella. As the song builds up, there are a few instances where the song just erupts out of the speakers. I must say, it's nice to hear this kind of dynamics on an album in today's age of digital compression.

The band and producer Orion Paradis have done a spectacular job in making the album sound crisp, lush and lively. The band's live energy is still evident in the final mixes, while their signature Beatle-esque multi-part harmonies are prominently featured.

It's only April, but Denim and Denim will definitely be a contender for album of the year.

You can check out their video for "Drinking Games" below.