IRVING Death In The Garden, Blood On The Flowers (Eenie Meenie)
When buzz band Voxtrot played Toronto back in April, openers Irving stole the show. The California band's sophomore release combines the psych-tinged sensiblilities of The Dandy Warhols with the oversexed swagger of Franz Ferdinand. But there are also moments of tongue-in-cheek humour on this record, as well as a charming lo-fi-ness reminiscent of Pavement. And Irving know how to write a good tune. From the bouncy cheer of single "Situation" to the darkly ominous "The Gentle Preservation of Children's Minds," there's nary a throwaway track on the entire album. In fact, Death In The Garden, Blood On The Flowers is of such a rare and enviable high quality that the entire disc is made up of single-worthy tunes that could easily scale the charts if given half a chance. It doesn't hurt that the band are so freaking dreamy that they have the power to turn the most jaded twenty-something hipster into a jelly-kneed teenager. If there's any justice in the music industry, you'll be hearing a hell of a lot more about these guys in 2007. Sofi Papamarko

http://www.chartattack.com/DAMN/2006/12/1901.cfm