Elliott Brood

When Toronto, ON trio Elliott Brood burst onto the scene in 2004, they grabbed ears with a strikingly sparse yet intense sound. On Days Into Years, it is the quality of the songwriting that takes centre stage. The group's sound has broadened and mellowed on their third full-length album, but all in the service of melodically and lyrically rich material. They've reunited with John Critchley (Dan Mangan, 13 Engines) and he contributes characteristically clean but robust production. The vigorous guitar work of Casey Laforet and Mark Sasso drives the record, and Sasso's voice also shows new colours. "If I Get Old" was inspired by Canadians fighting in WWII, and is a gripping album highlight, while songs like the sweetly elegiac "Northern Air" and "Owen Sound" see the band continuing to draw inspiration from the Great White North. This is clearly their best work to date.