Rating: NNNN
Toronto synth-punk trio Styrofoam Ones’ fan base has grown steadily over the past couple of years thanks to their raucous live shows, and they’ve finally documented that energy in this debut EP. It also contains some of the material from the limited-edition 7-inch single they put out last winter. Some of you are probably asking whether we need yet another electro-rock band, but these guys deserve credit for not sticking to the obvious formula and bringing some incredibly catchy tunes to the table.
[rssbreak]
Part of what makes this EP work so well is that they’ve kept it raw and real-sounding, giving the material an immediacy often lacking in this genre. Playing everything live instead of relying excessively on sequencers for the electronic bits helps on that end, but ultimately what makes this a winner is the songs themselves, which perfectly capture the impatient energy of adolescence.
Top track: Pavement
Styrofoam Ones celebrate their EP release at the Horseshoe tonight (Thursday, October 15).