Plumtree

Having outlasted virtually every other group that came of age in the afterglow of the Halifax Pop Explosion, Plumtree isn't just getting older, the inventive band is getting better. New songs, especially "I Could Draw A Line" and "Regret," sound more confident, more self-assured. Musically, members Carla and Lynette Gillis, Amanda Braden and Catriona Sturton have always had the chops, but the performances on This Day Won't Last At All, the group's third disc, showcase new skills with subtle arrangements and cunning song craft. Since forming in 1993, when its members were still in high school, Plumtree was dogged by the quirky girl band tag at every turn. Seven years later, the band has matured into being simply idiosyncratic.