Metric - Fantasies

Those of us who came to Metric via singer Emily Haines’ gorgeous contributions to Broken Social Scene gems like Anthems for a Seventeen Year Old Girl were thrown a curveball by 2005’s Live It Out. Walloping, bubblegum guitar riffs constituted its memorable highlights and follow-up Fantasies also delivers some tasty riffs and hooks. Hammy lyrics aside, Gimme Sympathy is a centrepiece of synth and choppy guitar exuberance that sounds like half a dozen great '80s bands playing at the same time. Such moments are plentiful, yet on gentler songs like Collect Call things still feel a little ‘busy’ where perhaps some restraint would not have gone amiss, particularly if it would help to highlight Haines’ voice. But perhaps that’s not the point of Metric and if you can approach it from a fresh angle, Fantasies is a consistent, momentarily thrilling and unashamed guitar pop record. No more, no less. [Darren Carle]