Playing an engaging fusion of pop from the '60s, '70s, and '80s, Vancouver's
the Shilohs conjure some pure melodic magic on their first full-length album. Released in 2013,
So Wild captures the band in smart and hooky form, with tunes that are catchy but substantive, full of clever guitar lines and witty lyrics that play on pop conventions while showing off a style all their own. While
the Shilohs' influences run the gamut from
the Beatles and
Big Star to
the Flying Burrito Brothers and
the Velvet Underground, even when they're mining inspirations from great bands of the past, they manage to shape them in a way that's fresh, fun, and inventive. It's no wonder Canadian critics have been citing
the Shilohs as a band to watch since they released their debut EP in 2010, and with
So Wild, the group has lived up to its promise as one of North America's new pop trendsetters. ~ Mark Deming