A little bit
Radiohead, a little bit
Sigur Rós, and very much immersed in ethereal dream pop, this strong debut from Edmonton's
Faunts is a welcome addition to Canada's growing roster of intriguing rock bands (playing shows with
Broken Social Scene and
Do Make Say Think has surely helped). As the record makes its way through such stellar moments as "Instantly Loved" and "Place I've Found," keyboards blend with guitars, and the vocals, although never prominent, sail steadily through the mix. In fact, the band's use of instruments is more than enough to create an intense experience. The 13-minute, snail-paced "Gone with the Day" adds slowcore and country to the relaxed atmosphere, greatly expanding the band's palette. And
High Expectations/Low Results surprises as much as it soothes: a vocoder enters the picture on "Twenty-Three" while at the same time
Faunts seem to be nodding to '70s psychedelia. A satisfying record for any fan of spacy rock. ~ Kenyon Hopkin