The Rest: Atlantis, Oh Our Saviour

The Rest
Atlantis, Oh Our Saviour
Self-released
2007-10-13

These Canadian youngsters were plucked from the rural farms of Ontario in late 2005 and plopped into a former-church/studio to record their first and — to this date — only album, Atlantis, Oh Our Saviour. The result is a surprisingly well-balanced affair, a seemingly seasoned performance which may be one of the biggest indie rock sleepers from the past couple of years. Opener “The Close Western” starts with a twinkling guitar riff and intermittent piano, then slowly churns into a Funeral-style indie gem. The band hits full throttle with the organ-fueled romp “Copying”, and tugs on the heartstrings with the string-laden ballad “Innocent Fools”, while the rest of the album rolls on with considerable ease considering the band’s apparently overlooked status in the blogging community. As the indie rock pours from the Great White North into America over the next few years, let’s hope we hear more from these calculated farm boys known as the Rest — they are certainly a welcome inclusion to our jaded community.

RATING 6 / 10