Indie-rock phenoms reveal a dazzling sonic kaleidoscope.  Full text...

Annuals follow Broken Social Scene’s talent for constructing entire albums out of fractures of song and torn, forgotten harmonies stitched into tune. Baker and his collective may be out of the gates young, but they’ve begun with an album of methodical imperfection—unnaturally natural—that undeniably fits, like a plastic beer mug buried in a field that just happens to seam in choir with the dust and stone.   Full text...

Be He Me is a crowd, packed with hyperboloid songs that whorl and dimple, digressively executing competent-to-astonishing arrangements in a manner that would seem spazzy if they weren't so polished.  Full text...

This is a good album despite its faults, but I need to backtrack to explain why, because it's not just good because the music is good.  Full text...

Be He Me is an awe-inspiring collection of magical, deceptively simple, cosmic psychedelic folk-pop.  Full text...

Be He Me is ambitious in scope if albeit disappointing in execution. Lead Annual Adam Baker clearly has a good ear for trends and a keen sense of history. This is obviously a guy with an incredibly broad record collection or one very thick hard drive. The next step is setting himself loose from his influences and shaking himself up into creating something as captivatingly volatile as his heroes.  Full text...

The band uses a catchy melody to pull listeners in and then explores alternative avenues of instrumentation while still following their melodic core. These songs are so rich they demand repeat listens. But after four additional less successful attempts to bottle their magic, Annuals decide it is time to move on.  Full text...