Montreal band the Stills divided the critics when they released their second album Without Feathers in May 2006. The band drew some attention with their first album (Logic Will Break Your Heart) in 2003, and particularly the single Still in Love Song. The sound reflected the new wave revival sweeping North America at the time, with 80s touchpoints including the Cure, Echo and the Bunnymen and Joy Division.

In 2005, a line-up change saw newcomer Dave Hamelin take over song-writing and most of the singing duties for Without Feathers. With such a change in band character and a departure from new wave influences, the new album was bound to surprise and disappoint some commentators and fans. The band even titled the thank-you section on the CD liner notes with ‘Our Deepest Apologies to…”.

The big layered organs and horns, clean production and Hamelin’s restrained, drawn out vocals show the new Stills to be a more mature and less derivative outfit. Without Feathers is a fine album with several particularly strong tracks; highlights include In the Beginning, Oh Shoplifter, Baby Blues (featuring Metric’s Emily Haines) and Destroyer. Have a go at Still in Love Song, from 2003, featuring Tim Fletcher on vocals, and Destroyer, from Without Feathers (2006) with Hamelin doing the warbling.

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The Stills - Still in Love Song
The Stills - Destroyer