Red Mile [LP]

Canadian art-punkers Crack Cloud, consisting of Zach Choy, Aleem Khan, Bryce Cloghesy, Will Choy, Emma Acs, Eve Adams and Nathaniel Philips, have taken many forms over the years.

On their third studio album, backed by creative director Aidan Pontarini, they present themselves as a lean, focused rock outfit. The new LP is their most mature work to date. The first single "Blue Kite" is lively, snotty, expansive and ultimately anthemic; in some moments it even recalls the beginnings of punk in the late 70s. Then again it sounds like Richard Hell, but in its wonderful staccato string section it could be reminiscent of John Cales' "Paris 1919".