Sonic Avenues

Second time out, Montreal's Sonic Avenues stick with the formula that made their self-titled debut such a breath of fresh air, distilling old-school punk and garage rock into a joyous racket. The arrangements are more complicated, but the hooks, which are what matter most when we're talking about this kind of music, remain firmly in place. Big gang vocal choruses carry each track of failed romance: "Fadin' Love" is a highlight, as is the title track. The album's production remains as scrappy as the band's playing, the treble-laden guitars buzzing above drums and vocals that sound like they were recorded in a meat locker. The jump from Going Ga-Ga Records to Portland's Dirtnap should raise the quartet's already growing profile, so expect to hear a great deal more from these garage heroes.