The Strumbellas

After Toronto, ON's the Strumbellas garnered a Juno nomination for their debut full-length, My Father and the Hunter, some wondered if they'd suffer from the dreaded sophomore slump. Instead, they don't just avoid stumbling, but have taken their game to the next level on We Still Move On Dancefloors. Enlisting the help of producer Ryan Hadlock (the Lumineers, Foo Fighters) allowed the Strumbellas to extricate every ounce of energy from all six members. Not only do most of the nine folky tracks rustle with powerful pop sensibilities, there's a sonic depth present that, at times, was missing on My Father and the Hunter. Hadlock doesn't deserve all the credit, of course; the group demonstrate incredible strides with their songwriting, championing a catch-and-release style that draws listeners in with delicate, acoustic-based folk before diving into bombastic choruses, as heard on album standout "The Long Road." Each of the nine tracks contains this type of build in some form or another, while it's nearly perfected on album opener "Sailing." A healthy amount of touring has injected a sense of poise and desire into vocalist Simon Ward's lyrics; "In This Life" isn't exactly daring in its approach, but it's pleasurable and inoffensive enough. With sing-along folk pop currently all the rage, the Strumbellas' collection of polished and, at its best, inspired tracks is poised for much attention.