Recoilers

Coming out of the continually growing Ottawa scene, Recoilers make their mark with a strong rock record brimming with energy, strong guitars, brawny vocals and a way with indie rock hooks. Opener "The Cage Swings Wide” pounds away with urgency and its catchy chorus, while "Beachfront Resort Vacation” continues the assault with the just lo-fi enough sound that effortlessly brings to mind the Weakerthans. In fact, much inspiration is found from that group as Recoilers also mix sweet melody with underpinnings of punk and indie. "In a River” seems to the centrepiece and it easily encapsulates both the strength and weakness of 2 Years End. A slow-building start brings forth tension and urgency that keeps the listener awaiting the coming attack, but the feeling loses some power due to the familiarity of the sound and its trappings. Oppositely though, the dynamic mid-song chorus shows that Recoilers may not be quite the emulators as first thought. The battlefield of rock is strewn with many bodies, and even though Recoilers may march down the same path, there are enough interesting points to make them ones to keep an eye out for.