Castle Project

Vancouver’s Ryan Ostiguy has taken the lemons life gave him and made some delicious lemonade with Diaries. After lost love left him in the dumps, Ostiguy regrouped to form Castle Project and create this pulsating tribute album to his broken heart. The end result is an ambitious pop record, brimming with electricity. Instead of brooding, Ostiguy converts his angst into soaring, arena-rock songs that give Coldplay a run for their money. The comparison is most apt on "Celebrate the End,” due to its rock ballad pace, lilting piano, and Ostiguy’s intermittent falsetto. A quick misstep occurs with "Away From It,” which strays too close to the alt-cock-rock of Bush. Things get more interesting with the sinister and thunderous "In Frustration,” while "Hearts at the Door” evokes the Beatles and Modest Mouse. All told, Ostiguy takes grand aim at some pop heavyweights, and his thoughtful eye for detail gets him close to the mark.