This Toronto band manages to straddle punk, garage, new wave and pop in a way I haven't heard since maybe the first Strokes album. That this is merely an EP also helps; there's no room for filler.

The Beaches Future Lovers EP (Universal)

And don't get me wrong. Whatever sounds the Beaches pour into their sound, this is a pop band. Yeah, these songs are a lot more rock than today's pop, but the sheen is unmistakable. Also undeniable are the edgy hooks. And the lyrics document a rock and roll lifestyle from the perspective of the female gaze. The difference is not subtle.

There's really not a conflict between the needs of pop and rock here. The Beaches simply turn everything up to 11--the pop sheen, the throttling riffage and the spot-on hooks.

A band perfectly named for the summer of 2021. This second EP establishes the Beaches as a band on the make. If these four songs aren't perfect for blasting on the ol' 6x9s, I must have lost my ears. Time to get some sun.

Jon Worley