Alexisonfire, 'Old Crows/Young Cardinals'

Release date: June 23, 2009
Record label: Vagrant
Official Web site: http://www.theonlybandever.com/

The buzz: These Canadian screamo kids are chart-toppers in their homeland, but recently seemed overshadowed by some of their own side projects (in particular, the Juno Award-winning City and Colour, a folk-rock band fronted by AF’s Dallas Green) and outside collaborations (including some with the hype-y F---ed Up). But breakup rumors aside, the group returns for a fourth album with a slightly new sound.
 
The verdict: “Screamo” isn’t actually a good term for Alexisonfire anymore; they now blend a more melodic alt-rock sensibility into their post-hardcore assault. And having three vocalists (Green, George Petit, Wade MacNeil) certainly keeps the music unpredictable. The band can mimic a more aggressive U2 (the bombastic “Sons of Privilege”) as well as muck around in the punk underground (the growled out “Young Cardinals”). It's not quite cohesive, but overall a welcome return by a group that’s exceedingly hard to pigeonhole.
 
Did you know? The band was apparently named after a “lactating contortionist stripper” named Alexis Fire, according to their bio.

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