This little beaut dropped in my mailbox a couple weeks back, it’s only now in the dark and tranquil night up at a buddy’s cabin in the Laurentians I’ve been able to give it the bliss-out headphone treatment it deserves. Mavo is the brainflower of Montrealer Mitz Takahashi , who also enjoys reknown as a furniture designer/builder. A long time coming, this 7” was co-conspired by Conor Prendergast, himself of the band Brave Radar . Feet planted firmly in a base of shoegaze, the vocals are appropriately muted and understated and the guitars in a layered, fuzzy sheen. Where the twist comes in the hypnotic, drivingly joyous bass and drums, which galumph joyously along, and at times the jangly Byrds – esque picking ecstatically over top the fuzz.
“Mock My Accent” crashes into being with mid-tempo psychedelic aplomb, the guitars building up in layers until the final shred carved from the finest Jesus & Mary Chain candy drops at the end.. it sounds like the chorus sings: “Mock mock mock, mock my accent, talk talk talk, talking shit in your dreams”, which is a fantastic lyric. A blissful sway with a radly squealing breakdown in the end. The flip brings two more ingratiating and hookily happy nuggets, beginning with the brilliantly titled “Horrible Brit Pop Haircut”, which is a sweeping crooner encrusted with crunchy guitar goodness, and closes with the jangle-punk drive of “Totally Tired”. This awesome closer offers clever Velvet Underground references and a trebly hook worthy of Apples In Stereo over a delicious rhythm section drive dripping with ethereal “ooooohs”.
Add to that some gorgeous cover art and you’ve got to hope and wonder when we’ll see more music emerge from this fantastic band!
