Fantasies

The anticipated official release of the fourth album

The Canadian indie-rock collective Metric was founded at the end of the 1990s and those fond of such styles as New Wave and indie-rock quickly appraised it as it deserves forming a loyal fan base. The band’s line-up includes vocalist Emily Haines, also playing the synthesizer, guitarist James Shaw, bassist Josh Winstead and drummer Joules Scott-Key. Beginning their creative path in a loft in Brooklyn the band’s founders Haines and Shaw went to London for some time to record demos and then returned to New York where Metric’s history started. The band was called like that for two reasons: first, it comes from the synthesizer’s beat that Shaw uses, second, it best reflects the stylistic preciseness of their eclectic music. This year the musicians release already their fourth album Fantasies that has become a great continuation of their discography and offers ten songs recorded in the best traditions of this original collective. The album was ready quite a long time ago and the team played the new songs performing their acoustic versions at the concerts and the fans finally get the official release.

Fantasies is made in Metric’s classic manner

On the whole all of the compositions on Fantasies are made in Metric’s classic manner: interesting bold lyrics combine with a faultless instrumental background and Emily Haines’ vocals makes every song even more expressive as always. The album lasting a bit longer than forty minutes the album opens with the first single Help I'm Alive, contagious, light and refined with splendid guitar hooks. A somewhat heavier track Sick Muse is remarkable for the drummer’s respectful work while Satellite Mind is rather a danceable number pleasing both with memorable lyrics and the vocalist’s effective performance. The song Twilight Galaxy proves to be one of the record’s highlights – an unusual percussion and electronic audio effects make an impressive contrast with Haines’ voice and the rhythm reminds of a heart beating. The real rock once again makes appearance on Gold Guns Girls, another danceable number with the text that is worth admiring as well as Gimme Sympathy, the song that can boast one of the catchiest tunes on the album. A more measured track Collect Call is recorded in a somewhat different register conquering with softer guitars harmonizing with the vocals and the song Front Row is once again an example of a rock work from Metric. The album closes with the composition Stadium Love, definitely the most impressive on the record with a heavy arrangement suitable both for dancing to and reflecting upon the life’s difficulties.

Haines’ singing plays an important role on the album

Although Metrics’ new album does not produce an impression of something supernatural this collection will easily make a competition with its predecessors. On Fantasies everything best in the band’s creative work is brought together and especially the record should be listened by those who are not yet acquainted with the Canadians’ works. To fully appreciate these songs one should listen to them more than once as the tunes despite their seeming simplicity will sound in a different way every time and the instruments will underline Haines’ vocals more and more. Her singing does play an important role on the album and Emily herself is apparently self-confident enough as she has recently released her solo work Knives Don't Have Your Back and an EP What Is Free to a Good Home?. Besides it is worth mentioning that Haines and Shaw also perform with Broken Social Scene. Emily’s vocals can be also heard on the works of the likes of Stars and The Stills, and bassist bassist Josh Winstead and drummer Joules Scott-Key have a side project called Bang Lime. It is a wonder how with all the variety of interests these guys manage to release albums regularly, anyway Fantasies is undoubtedly not disappointing.