Jade Hairpins is the work of two members of the band
Fucked Up, and if anyone is looking to them for the same kind of fiery punk drama, they are barking up the wrong tree. While it's true that
Jonah Falco drums for
Fucked Up and
Mike Haliechuk plays guitar and writes songs, here
Falco takes over the guitar and vocal duties while
Haliechuk handles the bass and the band is influenced by highly danceable post-punk, rambunctious indie pop, and post-Postcard
Orange Juice. Their debut album,
Harmony Avenue, bounces joyously from bracing, highly infectious guitar pop songs like "J Terrapin" and "Mary Magazine" to stripped-down, danceable songs ("Don't Break My Devotion," "Post No Bill") that come across like a snappier, more focused
LCD Soundsystem thanks to the elastic grooves, burbling synths, and
Falco's declamations. In between these two almost polar opposites, the duo settle into a relaxed, mid-tempo mode that takes
Orange Juice's "Rip It Up" as a guide, layering jagged guitars, vocal harmonies, and vintage keys over the rubbery rhythm section. Tracks like "Broadstairs Beach" and "Dolly Dream" balance that laid-back feel against
Falco's insistent vocals in a way
Edwyn Collins would surely approve of, "Truth Like a Mirage" wiggles and struts like late-period
Talking Heads, and "Father Coin" injects a little punk attitude into the formula with good results. No matter the mood or mode,
Haliechuk and
Falco make nary a misstep and show they are equally adept at inspiring weird dance moves, conjuring up post-punk ghosts, or delivering indie rock thrills. At their best -- which is most of the time -- they leap past being a sum of their influences to make music that sounds supremely fresh, and if the shifts between sounds can be a little jarring on the first couple of listens, at least
Harmony Avenue is never boring. Quite the opposite in fact, and if
Haliechuk and
Falco want to give up their day job for
Jade Hairpins, it would be hard to argue with that choice on an artistic level. ~ Tim Sendra