It's party time.
Second albums are notoriously difficult, however, Canadian five piece, You Say Party! We Say Die! Seem to have had no problems; turning out a record of indie disco tunes that are intensely danceable and catchy. At times their sound is reminiscent of Pretty Girls Make Graves; a punk-indie hybrid full of off kilter guitars and rhythms, and at other times tunes have a strangely dark gothic feel from Becky Ninkovic's, Siouxsie Sioux-esque vocal style. Though if you're looking for a comparison with more recent indie disco bands, the female vocals give them more in common with a band like CSS, and make them a damn sight more interesting than others like Hadouken.
The album is brimming with high points and even includes a bonus track – 'Midnight Snake' – for UK audiences, look out for : the off-beat 80s vibe that sneaks in on 'Teenage Hit Wonder' with its Bananarama-ish vocal harmonies; killer track 'Monster' which is a shimmering indie-pop classic in the making, with a heady mix of Postal Service-like, soaring, electronica melodies and gentle oh-so-catchy vocals; the very cool off-kilter keyboard riff on 'Dance Floor Destroyer'; then you have the shouty 'Like I Give A Care', an infectious, sing along anthemic blast of nicely off centre rhythms; and to top it all off there's the intimate and moving 'You're Almost There' a gentle piano based moment of reflection.
It's really good to hear a band that are going down the indie dance route but aren't taking the obvious path. This is not an album of cheesy, old fashioned techno beats with some irritating guy shouting over the top, this is done with style and finesse. Each track has a worthy place on the record and all are well written with actual catchy tunes that stay with you and demand repeated listens. To be honest, It's hard to say anything bad about this sophomore record, so I won't. "Lose All Time" is a perfectly formed album of catchy, quirky indie-pop anthems – exciting, energy filled and inspiring but with a slightly dark edge, it's hard to see why it shouldn't have wide appeal.