Faunts

If that title seems affectionate, well, that's intentional because Edmonton's Faunts have left the spacious, slow, open indie music of their debut and settled on sexy electronics and tighter hooks. They're definitely wooing the listener this time around. The title track wastes no time, as its stuttering beats and pining vocals are just derivative enough to grab the ear. Indeed, "It Hurts Me All the Time" is more homage to My Bloody Valentine than something original but, man, that doesn't make it less of a great, catchy song. Another lovely, shoegaze-y standout is "Lights Are Always On," with its skittering hi-hats and layered, flowing guitars. There's actually not much to fault with this carefully constructed album, as it's a considerable leap forward from their debut. The problem is that's its too cold. There are times where it skirts Cut Copy, making impersonal electronics human and accessible, but other times it sounds like electro-pop by numbers. It's an album easy to like but much harder to love.