Meligrove Band: Bones of Things

Toronto’s Meligrove Band is fairly highly respected. Since the release of their last record four years ago, the group has been the subject of a documentary film called Ages and Stages: The Story of the Meligrove Band which chronicles their career. The film includes interviews with more than 40 other Canadian bands and music industry personalities including Joel Plaskett, Tokyo Police Club, Born Ruffians, Fucked Up, The Arkells, the Most Serene Republic and Sebastien Grainger. Now, they’re unleashing their latest LP, two years in the making, called Bones of Things. The thing that stick out the most upon hearing the disc is that it is fun and frothy: Opening track “Ichi Ni” has some of that schoolyard chanting of numbers that characterizes the Go! Team’s “Bottle Rocket”. Basically, with this album, you’re in for a good time.

The thing about Bones of Things is that it is of consistently high quality. No individual song sticks out. But there’s not an awful, terrible song to be found either. The record sees the band muscling a particularly poppy brand of indie rock, and “Tortaruga” even evokes the mystery sounds of the ‘70s, particularly glam rock. There’s a strut and swagger here. And much goofing around: “Woof!”, naturally, starts out with the distorted sounds of dogs barking. “Disappointed Mothers” has a mandolin, and yet isn’t a country-flavoured song. Essentially, Bones of Things is a brick wall, strong and sturdy. While the band’s brand of humor is either going to entice you or turn you cold, the nice thing is that it is fairly subtle. Bones of Things is a great platter and a welcome addition to an already storied career.