Hailing from Vancouver, Canada, the femme punk pop triplet The Courtneys sounds more like the New Zealander rock of the 80s than Canadian rock of the 10s. This makes sense as this album is released via Flying Nun records of The Clean and The Chills fame. II is a short but sweet collection of ten fuzzy pop songs which fly by in a moment. “Silver Velvet” kicks off the album with fuzz feedback and a chugging bass which is then iced with sheeny vocals adding a layer of sweet to the jangly rock below. This song sets the pace for II which remains grungy and gorgeous at once. “Minnesota” features the head-boppiest hook on the disc with choppy verses and a gliding chorus ending with a dive right into the winter snow. “Lost Boys” strikes Velvet Underground territory with a chiming jam clocking in at seven minutes. “25” has the strongest verse with pounding drums and its memorable quip “but that just got me nowhere.”
This album steers towards its vocal hooks like a drunk driver steers towards the ditch. These sweetly short songs bounce through a verse or two and hit hard into the choruses. II is a strong follow up for the Courtneys and a DJ can’t go wrong spinning any of these fast-acting pop songs.
Recommended If You Like: Cherry Glazerr, Hinds, Sleater-Kinney, the Clean, Best Coast
Recommended Tracks: 1, 3, 7, 5
Do Not Play: None
Written by Doug Bybee on 07/06/2017
