Alvvays
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Alvvays is the self-titled debut studio album by Canadian indie pop band Alvvays, released on 22 July 2014 by Polyvinyl, Royal Mountain and Transgressive. -Wikipedia
Critic Reviews
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Pitchfork
Every time it seems like a song is about to decay before your ears, you sense both the sadness and the liberation of knowing that nothing lasts forever.
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Consequence of Sound
On a debut this self-assured and repeatably gratifying, that’s reason to celebrate.
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Spill Magazine
This is bare bones, lo-fi recording: five musicians, a smattering of microphones, and a sound engineer pushing levels. Meanwhile, you, the listener, find yourself dancing, but also crying on the inside.
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Rolling Stone
It’s a rare treat to discover a debut like Alvvays’. Each of the nine songs on the Toronto band’s first LP is a sharply drawn indie-pop wonder, steeped in romance, wit and melody.
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The Guardian
Breezy, literate indie-rock.
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NME
Summer jams meet jangly melancholy on the Toronto band's impressive debut.
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Slant Magazine
Though there are moments of frayed musical charm throughout Alvvays, it exhibits an unexpected level of versatility for a debut.
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DIY Mag
With each effort packing at least half a dozen unique hooks, it’s difficult for anything to come off remotely dull.
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The Know
There’s nothing ideal about the world of Alvvays, full of bad decisions, unhealthy obsessions and self-medication. But the music captures how modern young adults suffer and convalesce without coming off as self-absorbed shlock.
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Sound Chips
Alvvays definitely have a bright future ahead of them.
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All Things Loud
With enough promotion and good publicity, we will hopefully be seeing (and hearing) a lot more from these 5 Canadians in the near future.
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New Noise Magazine
Soaked thoroughly in reverb and melody, fans of The Concretes, Camera Obscura, Belle & Sebastian, Teenage Fanclub and swirling, sunny yet noisey indie-pop should investigate further.
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All Music
Alvvays find a way to articulate their heart-struck, dream-like songs with deft intention and control.
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Relight Magazine
Genre steps aside on this release, and melody rings tried and true as all the elements come together brilliantly for this Canadian quintet.
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The Way That He Sings
Their songwriting, vocals and melodies need no gimmicks. A wonderfully, catchy pop record is in the books and their next one will be on my pre-order list on day one.
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LONDON IN STEREO
If you can prise yourself away from album standout ‘Archie, Marry Me’, you’ll find plenty more to fall for, and, like all the best crushes, it’s an infatuation that only deepens with time.
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The Paper Street Journal
Vocal harmonies split wide open, drifting drums, echoing guitars, and opening with the proverbial famous-last-words: “How do I get close to you?”
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Table Three Media
The good amount of variety in the album offers something for all Indie pop lovers.
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Snob's Music
There's a throwback, '60s sheen to much of the music. That's immediately apparent from the album opener "Adult Diversion" and it's Best Coast-esque vibe. That sound is fleshed out with the bigger, fuller statement song "Archie, Marry Me".
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Hampstead Highgate Express
Accessible, hummable and lightly melancholic indie tunesmithery from the Canadian debutantes.
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NBHAP
Canadian fuzz-pop quintet ALVVAYS' debut album is an enchanting collection of thoughtful beach-pop.
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Punknews
Few bands are bringing it like Alvvays. As one of my favorite genres I welcome it.
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Pop Matters
Alvvays is an exciting opening album from a band who bring refinement to a genre that make them sound mature beyond their years.
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Don Ignacio's Music Reviews
Somehow, Alvvays are going to continue on as a band and going to continue to release albums, and I somehow doubt they're going to be able to match this debut, much less top it.
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Alternative Friday
Ultimately this is just great pop music, which brings a smile to the face and more than a few tugs on the heart. Ultimately we’re all suckers for that, right?
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Overblown
Alvvays is the resoundingly average good fortune in your day. It’s when you have just enough milk left for your morning coffee. It’s when you manage to insert your memory stick into your laptop with your first attempt. Pleasant, but pretty much forgettable.
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Aesthetic Magazine
Overall, catchiness and accessibility round out a stllar summertime debut with warm sonic hues. Grab some friends, hop on your bikes, cruise around town and bathe in the hazy golden sunlight of Alvvays.
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Deadshirt
Every song on the album is built like an intricate diorama, and it takes repeated listens for some of the more subtle instrumental arrangements to really bloom.
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Hotpress
CONSISTENT DEBUT EFFORT OF CANADIAN FUZZ POP.
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Irish Times
Indie-pop turned into something a bit special.
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Austin Chronicle
Influenced by the best of what came before them, the group's novel execution of reinterpretation is impeccable, and the ability to produce hook after quality hook cements distinguishing merit.
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Treble Zine
Alvvays is rough-edged and jagged. Molly Rankin sings for that style, projecting the image of a wicked school-girl with horn-rimmed glasses who’s about to destroy you with her conniving intellect. Enjoy it.
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Oscillate Mildly
They’ve done nothing ground-breaking, but they’ve made a really good album with fantastic songs.
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Music Liberation
Perfect for late night summer sunsets, or early morning sun rises, this debut album will lift spirits and set romantic notions alight this Summer.
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MOXIPOP
Alvvays may still yet become the hot new thing in indie rock, but with this blissful debut they’ve already ensured that they’ll be a big deal to a swath of listeners swept clean off their feet.
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Spectrum Pulse
Folks, indie rock is seldom this smart and layered, especially when its masked as something so twee and shallow, so check out the self-titled debut from Alvvays - you will not regret it.
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Rock Review Phil
They won’t rule the world, but they’ll more than likely have a good future given the local following they’ve achieved so far.
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Best New Bands
Though Alvvays is in the company of a pile of artists with a similar sound, each song on this collection has a distinct high quality and fine finish.
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We Are Indie
This album does itself justice on all levels, and speaks for all of Toronto's Music scene, the future is bright for Molly and Co, breaking through on the international level is hard but they have found a way to do so.
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The Scene Magazine
Standouts like “Archie, Marry Me” are irresistible, Alvvays manage to create a sound that’s both fresh and familiar as a favourite old sweater. Molly Rankin’s ice-cream smooth voice meshes with the synth perfectly.
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Robert Christgau
Assuming the challenged couple get to cut that cake, I wish them many lubricious years of one-on-one "debauchery"--Rankin's word, and I sincerely hope it's no metaphor.
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Portals Music
For me, this is the sound of summer: fun, sad, too good to be true.
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