Clues — Clues

This new Montreal quintet have been largely secretive since their inception in 2007. There were a few shows here and some rampant speculation there, but all anyone really knew was that the group consisted of Montreal indie rock royalty: original Unicorn Alden Penner and former Arcade Fire member Brendan Reed.

It turns out that was all anyone really needed to know, as their long-awaited debut features the staccato pacing and pop sensibilities one would expect from a group fronted by Penner, and it recalls the halcyon days of quirky dilettante rock stardom in all its awkward glory.

It's a solid, if slightly hard to penetrate, re-entry into the world of rock after a foray into film music direction. As with most pop records that eschew the verse-chorus-verse format, every peak is preceded by a valley, and hints of true greatness don't really emerge until one gets a scope of the entire cluttered body of work.

Listening to "Approach The Throne" and "Cave Mouth," one might think Clues are the most ferocious, rocking project Penner or Reed have embarked on yet. The opposite holds true at other times. There are enough decadent pop moments to make it worth sloshing through the thick musical soup.

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