Ruby Jean & The Thoughtful Bees — Ruby Jean & The Thoughtful Bees

This Halifax electro-dance quartet sound more like they're from California than Canada's east coast on this self-titled debut. Singer Rebekah Higgs' signature sound inflects the end syllable of every word upward, which is only slightly less irritating in song than it is when listening to a valley girl speak. When Higgs isn't channelling Cher from Clueless, she sounds a hell of a lot like Esthero, especially on "Not About To." Thankfully, the music makes up for what the vocals lack. It's diverse, has some really great hooks and, for an electronic band, they make good use of guitarist Jason Vautour. Opener "You Don't Miss Me" stands out and "The Best Of All" isn't just a title — it really is the best song on the album. These are the only two tracks with focused vocals instead of howling gibberish, and they also have an actual narrative, albeit a minor one. It's not a bad album, but it's probably better to dance to than listen to.

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