Camouflage Nights

Camouflage Nights have a number of famous friends and they're not afraid to flaunt it. One-half of Halifax pop detonators Thrush Hermit, the duo of Rob Benvie and Ian McGettingan have done a fine job collecting "the digits" while working with the Dears and Tigre Benvie (Benvie) or behind the boards with Peter Elkas and Joel Plaskett (McGettingan). Over ten heavily stylized tracks, Camouflage Nights features appearances by Feist, Alanna Stuart, both Murphys (Chris and Matt) and guest production from Dave Newfeld. But, as this self-titled debut proves, great guests don't always give great performances. As "Five Five Minutes" and "Back From the Dead" rely on high fructose beats and near-boy-band structured choruses, others like "Antarctica" and "Swaying Back and Forth in the Night" veer off script, utilizing free-jazz sax alongside raps from Buck 65 and Dukey Denzel Snipes. Camouflage Nights is an ambitious mixture of indie rock and dance that would have sounded a bit more trailblazing and brave a decade ago.