Mode Moderne

Mode Moderne are an anomaly in the garage-/pop-heavy Vancouver music scene, and the strength of their latest EP shows that they don't need, or care, to sound like other local acts. Past comparisons to Echo and the Bunnymen and the Cure are warranted (especially in lead singer Phil Intile's delivery), but these attempts at drawing such obvious parallels are unfair to the diversity of their new material. Melodically, Strange Bruises has as much in common with '80s goth and new wave bands as it does the Creation/Rough Trade Records indie-pop scene of the same era. "Foul Weather Fare" and "Guns" showcase the act's newfound confidence in writing songs that are uplifting and anthemic, traits that were missing from earlier releases. Production on this EP was handled by guitarist Felix Fung, whose Little Red Sounds has acted as an affordable studio for many Vancouver artists that have gained a following outside of the city, including Chains of Love and Sex Church. If Strange Bruises goes through similar channels, the band will likely follow in these footsteps, gaining new fans with a taste for the musical styles of decades passed.