The hotly anticipated follow-up to the Canadian indie pop outfit's Juno Award-and Polaris Music Prize-nominated 2016 debut,
Wide Open is a more polished affair than its predecessor, but
Weaves haven't lost their gift for pairing knotty sonic architecture with gale force charisma. Much of that charm comes from frontwoman
Jasmyn Burke, a natural scene stealer who can go from feral to heartfelt in the blink of an eye -- imagine
Gwen Stefani or
Santigold fronting
TV on the Radio. That the band operates on her same cosmic wavelength goes a long way in making
Wide Open work, which it does at least 75-percent of the time. Front-loaded with its most spirited and manic moments -- it gets into your brain early and starts decorating -- from the anthemic "#53" to the dancefloor-ready art-punk of "Slicked" and "Law & Panda," the 11-track set eventually runs out of gas -- it dissolves into a literal "Puddle." Even so,
Weaves have a knack for making even the most rote indie rock posturing compelling -- fuzzy, midtempo noise-pop offerings like "La La" and "Walkaway" would fall flat in lesser hands -- and their enthusiasm is infectious throughout, even if that zeal feels a tad refined this time around. ~ James Christopher Monger