The Mohawk Lodge

Vancouver’s the Mohawk Lodge follow the pop folk fragility of their debut with a darker, charged up sound. Ryder Havdale remains the band’s leader and, as a singer and lyricist, his presence is alluring and evocative. With Wildfires, he welcomes notable guests like Dan Boeckner (Wolf Parade) and J.P. Carter (Fond of Tigers) to his songs but Havdale’s vision is intact, recalling the raw openness of Neil Young with the melancholy of Hayden. There’s a hint of Coldplay in the pleasant "Hard Times” and "Wear ’Em Out” is a lighter take on the heavy emotional path often travelled by Wintersleep. The sprawling rock moments are intriguing as well, such as the boiling title track and the blues-y Constantines workout that is "Heart of Lovers.” The street tough stance is measured by charmingly self-referential songs like "Why Would You,” and such instances reveal the welcoming aspects of the Mohawk Lodge so evident on Wildfires.