The DoneFors

Intrepid and refreshing, the DoneFors' debut lived up to their self-pegged style of "Canadiana Vanguard." Most importantly, it boasted some really good music. Their second release, on the other hand, finds the quartet fixated on their branding, as if their mandate was being vanguard for the sake of. Channelling Sade's smooth grooves ("Cherry Season"), Paul Simon's merging of pop and polyrhythms ("Mercator Map") and the Cranberries' reverb-drenched choruses ("Carry"), the DoneFors spare no bells and whistles on Award Winning Album. What lies beneath, however, is essentially souped-up easy listening, or if you prefer, a rebellious hybrid form of muzak. It's every bit as forgettable even while it refuses to sit still in the background, making the satire inherent in the record's title all the more poignant.