Women

Often compared to reverb-savvy pop acts of the '60s with a healthy dose of the drone-heavy noise rock pioneered by the Velvet Underground, Calgary's Women go beyond that well-worn template. A casual listen to the group's self-titled debut places it firmly in line with the aesthetic of ambitious, retro, lo-fi pop artists like the Crystal Stilts and the Magnetic Fields. But first impressions can be deceptive, and it turns out this act is capable of experimental rhythmic structures and odd sound choices worked into a conventional musical framework. Like Colin Newman on his solo efforts, these Women inject a plethora of bizarre sounds into new contexts, and the results are still catchy. Catch their echoing wail in action alongside tourmates/surf-noise heroes Abe Vigoda.