Alvvays - Blue Rev

It’s mad to think that the glorious single ‘Archie, Marry Me’ is nearly a decade old. It’s equally ridiculous that second album ‘Antisocialites’ is itself clocking on for a half-decade. So, while it’s impossible to rush Molly Rankin and Co – and this time with good reason, thanks to stolen demos and a new rhythm section – ‘Blue Rev’ is more than worth the protracted wait.

Few do blissed-out indie-pop better, and at 14 songs long, ‘Blue Rev’ is swimming in fuzzy, woozy bangers. Molly Rankin also remains a peerless songwriter, equal parts reflective raconteur and plimsoll punk poet. This is especially true on the trippy ‘Velveteen’, where the lyric "Is she a perfect 10 / have you find Christ again?" has profound depth behind the sardonic veneer. Throw in some perfectly crafted characters – step forward ‘Pomeranian Spinster’ and ‘Very Online Guy’ – and ‘Blue Rev’ is every bit as good as its predecessors.