Is there something in the water in Canada? Is there a logical explanation behind the onslaught of fantastic contemporary music emerging from within O Canada's borders? Perhaps it's all just fancy oneupsmanship, as Stars rise to do battle with the prodigious Arcade Fire, not to mention the likes of The Stills, Death From Above 1979 and Feist.
Ageless Beauty - a track as bold as its title suggests - is taken from their latest, shamefully overlooked LP Set Yourself On Fire, and belies the band's meek appearance with a beautiful, full-blooded thrust at pop, led all the way by Amy Millan's pitch-perfect swell.
Imagine, if you will, a slightly more driven incarnation of the Broken Social Scene (Evan Cranley is a permanent member of both groups) and add to that the kind of ornate arrangements only Canadians seem able to produce of late. After you've done that you can click through to their site and treat yourself to some ageless beauty. Go on - it'll be our little secret...
more 