Yukon Blonde - Yukon Blonde

Maybe we're just getting a little stir crazy with the snow (!) and the cold (!!) but when we cranked up the latest from Vancouver retro power/pop trio Yukon Blonde things just seemed warmer, brighter and a lot more fun. Like bands such as Midlake or Fleet Foxes, you can practically smell the scent of 70's vinyl in the air as ching-changy guitar riffs (think Lindsay Buckingham or Peter Frampton) and layers of vocal harmonies (try CSNY or even late-period Beach Boys or Fab Four) go to the head of the class as starry-eyed pop melodies bump up against psychedelic-tinged classic rock. YB's eponymous debut album arrives March 23 stateside following up a 4-track EP last fall.

Take "Blood Cops" where crisp and crackling rhythmic guitar jangle supports a "la-la-la" chorus and insidiously clever hook eventually ending with an all-too-brief rave-up. Or how about "Brides Chorus", a smartly Fleetwood Mac-meets-America pop-rocker filtered with a jolt of British New Wave punch (anyone remember The Records?). When the guitars grind to a climax at the end well, let's just say it feels right. Our only quibble might be with the occasional flat production on the vocal tracks but, hey, even that smacks of authentic nostalgia. We will still, as they say, let our freak flag fly. Recommended.

Myspace  Artist Site Bumstead Label Page

Yukon Blonde - "Brides Song" (from the album Yukon Blonde)

Yukon Blonde - "Blood Cops" (from the album Yukon Blonde)