Young Rival

Clearly drawing inspiration from great '60s and '70s pop, Hamilton, ON power pop trio Young Rivals have chosen to stick with a simple guitar, bass and drums set-up, avoiding the "trendier" synth-driven sound of contemporary indie pop bands, on Stay Young, their follow-up to their 2010 self-titled release. Jon Drew (who has produced the likes of Tokyo Police Club) helped the band capture songs with a little more complexity than their earlier work while retaining a focus on clean melodies and honest lyricism, creating a catchy pop record that's able to maintain a light, fun atmosphere throughout. Stay Young gets its hooks into the listener within the first three tracks, as the primary influence changes between '70s pop on "Black Popcorn," '60s surf pop on "Nothing You Know Well" and blues-pop on "Let It Go." These three styles recur throughout, although the band change things up often enough that no style gets stale. It's clear throughout that Stay Young is the product of a genuine love for pop and this enthusiasm will ring true for just about anyone with the same tastes. However, the record will not have the same impact for everyone else.