Galore Amplifier

Although based in Toronto, Galore have musical lineage that reaches from coast to coast. Featuring former members of Halifax’s Cool Blue Halo and Vancouver’s John Ford, their no nonsense approach to rock’n’roll has been winning them fans since their debut EP appeared back in 2000; their sophomore effort finds their momentum continuing. Amplifier is almost a step forward for the band. There’s no denying that they’ve conquered the retro ’70s rock that they have lovingly clung to on their earlier releases, but there are also occasional glimpses of something more than a T-Rex or David Bowie tribute band. And those glimpses are where Galore are at their most interesting — "Sad Because It’s Summer” manages to nail Stiff Records-era Elvis Costello perfectly while "Teen Rebellion Machine” offers some nicely pointed observations about Avril Lavigne and her ilk. When it comes down to it, Galore are band who are hard to dislike — the simplicity of their sound makes their music accessible and probably makes them a formidable live band. Amplifier is surprisingly easy to listen to and it has more than its fair share of tunes that will stick in your head longer than you might expect. (RCD)

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