On their debut album
Logic Will Break Your Heart,
the Stills are stubbornly unyielding when it comes to being put in the same class as
the Walkmen,
Interpol, and the like. The Stills aren't boastful in doing so, but they are indeed different and stylishly unlike their counterparts. The modern sound of
Logic Will Break Your Heart is undoubtedly rooted in post-punk threads of
the Cure and
the Smiths, but
the Stills create something that's partly glamorous and fully imaginative. One will notice that they're still a young band and bright-eyed in developing a sound that's magical and solid to them. Their
Rememberese EP barely hinted at such, but the charm of songs such as "Lola Stars and Stripes" and "Changes Are No Good" indicates that
the Stills are on to fully realizing what they're capable of. They flirt with a dark, art-pop design not unlike
Interpol, but
the Stills' approach is tangible. Singer/guitarist
Tim Fletcher gives a warm, haunting delivery as the band molds a blackish romance throughout the dozen-track set. Guitarist
Greg Paquet complements his passionate presentation with his strict, aggressive playing style, in turn manifesting
the Stills' dreamy kind of rock & roll. From the shimmering synth beats of "Ready for It" to
Dave Hamelin's surging percussion crash on "Animals and Insects,"
Logic Will Break Your Heart is posh enough to stand alone. The Stills were so intent in writing and recording a vibrant new sound and they succeeded. As songwriters, there's an innocence dancing with a bittersweet fantasy on
Logic Will Break Your Heart. It's a fantastic pop record and, as much as some would like to disagree, these Canadians pulled off a sound that has nothing to do with New York City. ~ MacKenzie Wilson