After a weak sophomore album, The Stills seems that have found their footing again with their third effort, Oceans Will Rise. Tim Fletcher’s signature voice is back to the forefront, and the music has been revived with the intensity and dynamic that made The Stills a contender in Canadian indie rock scene at their beginning.

Dave Hamelin, their drummer-turned-guitarist, came to the microphone for the second album, Without Feathers, and dominated the majority of the album with his vocals. The change seemed right for the band, especially with the band’s former lead guitarist Greg Paquet leaving the group in 2005. The arrival of Hamelin as a lead vocalist seemed to also incite a departure in the musical style of the band. They had lost quite a bit of their edge; the songs were soft and lacked hard-hitting, post-punk qualities they had become identified with from their debut. Without Feathers was a musical move that some fans (and the charts) did not find favourable.

“Don’t Talk Down”, a great first track off Oceans Will Rise and the second single released, features the talents of both Hamelin and Fletcher; it was the right song to kick off the album. The steady beat coupled with the edgy and assertive lyrics are steps back in the right direction. “Rooibos/Palm Wine Drinkard” is a particularly impressive track that exhibits stronger punk undertones. The album has its flaws and waning points, but there are definite some gems, including the melodic “Being Here”.

While it is commendable that the band took the risk to experiment with new sounds, it is reassuring to see that they’ve decided to return to the strength of their niche. Surely their best is yet to be heard if they stay true to what comes most natural to them.



The Stills performed a free concert at Nathan Phillips Square last Friday as part of the WinterCity festivities. The band will tour Australia and New Zealand with The Kings of Leon in March.



Track Listing:

Don’t Talk Down
Snow in California
Snakecharming the Masses
Being Here
Everything I Build
Panic
Eastern Europe
Hands on Fire
Dinosaurs
I’m With You
Rooibos/Palm Wine Drinkard
Statue of Siren