There are a lot of things going for Canada. Hockey, socialized healthcare, Crown Royal, and Evangeline Lilly. Oh, it also exports some of the best indie bands around. One such band that may have slipped through your ear-fingers is Vancouver’s Ladyhawk. Their self-titled debut released in 2006 was well received, but in a year full of incredible music, it was tragically overlooked.

It’s possible that with their second LP Shots (released in March) Ladyhawk have made it very difficult to be ignored. Guitars take the lead as the band adheres to similar production tactics of their first effort, which lingers somewhere between the low-fi of Guided By Voices and the bare rock and roll of early Thermals records. Whatever you want to call it, guitars are favored over the rhythm section and even the vocals, resulting in raw, honest rock that makes you want to load a few shots with Canadian whiskey and drink alone.

The only flaw of “S.T.H.D” is that it’s brief. I really want more. The song begins with palm-muted rhythm guitar providing the changes while Darcy Hancock delivers a delicate lead line. As the song moves to the chorus, Duffy Driediger begins to scream in the spirit of Westerberg as the distortion kicks in, leading to a vocal call and response with the rest of the band. Are you drunk yet? No? Pour another one.

Buy:

Tunes:

Ladyhawk - “S. T. H. D.”

Info:

Shots is out now on Jagjaguwar.

Websites
[official]
[myspace]

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