Prince Perry and the Gladtones

Toronto, ON's Prince Perry transports listeners back to the heyday of the two-Tone era with this EP, and while the record isn't exactly an exercise in revivalism, it successfully channels the songwriting and passion of Coventry, circa 1980. Perry's debut album featured quirky originals next to novel arrangements of the Police, the Clash and a brooding, dub-y take on ska guru Toots Hibbert's "Sweet and Dandy." This sophomore release tightens the band's scope into a punchy, confident sound that could fill any dance floor. Perry's shoegazer lyrics ("Say You Won't"), mixed with a sense of irreverent humour (geriatric sex-drive saga "Love at the End of the Century") and theatrical flair, à la Violent Femmes, makes for a lively, layered listening experience. The two sonic left turns at the end of the album are uneven additions though. The dark, anthemic "Wire" provides a promise of an exciting new direction for the band, but "Yo Te Vi," a repetitive acoustic track sung in Spanish, never manages to go anywhere.