International Falls

International Falls make pop look easy. From one chord to another, they effortlessly deliver song after song of pure power pop goodness, complete with hooks, harmonies and a whole lot of punches. Or at least they do on their sophomore album, Achievement. Hailing from Vancouver’s neighbouring community of Langley, this tight-knit pop unit come courtesy of songwriter Jay Arner, who, along with some members of No Gold/Yukon and the Poison Dart, recorded this album in the band’s farmhouse studio. With a warm analog sound, International Falls keep the guitars crisp, the drums punchy and the reverb just right, turning tracks like "On a Perch” and "Aimlessness” into catchier-than-thou pop songs often reminiscent of those that exploded from Halifax during the mid-’90s. At times, these straight-and-narrow leanings also give way to more experimental structures, such as the synth-heavy "Build a Building” and the fuzzed-out rock chaos of "Harmony.” When Achievement does finally spin to a stop, the only difficulty is understanding why an album this strong has no label backing it.