Rich Aucoin

Originally slated as his debut full-length, Public Publication is instead a four-track teaser EP to an album that will (hopefully) rear its head sometime early next year. Taken as a companion to the Haligonian musician's similarly titled Personal Publication EP, a record whose express purpose was to soundtrack the animated Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas, these four new tunes are a huge step forward. Where much of his first record was instrumental filler meant to carry the EP through the program's running time, each of the four tunes here easily stand on their own. "Brian Wilson is A.L.I.V.E." and "Push" should be familiar to anyone who's seen the inclusive DIY theatrics of Aucoin's live show in the past year, marrying Daft Punk beats with Flaming Lips' flare. But while the blog house-style production might suggest hipster standoffishness, Aucoin's lyrics (i.e., "Remember what we've been given," repeated over and over) show him to be far more concerned with social dynamics and collective experiences than striking the right pose on the dance floor. Final track "Undead," meanwhile, maintains a closer relationship musically with the organic sounds of his debut. Aucoin tapped over 500 Canadian musicians to participate in the eventual album-length version of Public Publication, though who and where are left unclear with this small sampling. Let's hope the whole can stand up to this rather excellent part.