Felt

An album that elicits Radiohead and Yo La Tengo comparisons? While that would normally qualify as blasphemy, in the case of Montreal’s Suuns, it holds up. The four-piece’s fourth full-length album for Secretly Canadian, Felts, grabs hold immediately with soft church bells that cut to heavy-footed drums and an electric hook that feels reminiscent of traditional Arabic melodies. The song “Baseline” has the sort of somber appeal of a Yo La Tengo tune mixed with a gripping, quick pulse and blooming synth interludes. Meanwhile, “Make It Real” lilts by with a minimal, perfectly paced verse over a soft groove. These aren’t just easy pop tunes; there’s a strong, dark thread running throughout, with crunchy layers in places (“Daydream”) and a tension that never breaks but instead keeps the listener alert—kind of like a Radiohead tune. I told you, it’s really good.