Modern Superstitions - All The Things We've Been Told EP Review

Credit to Toronto based threesome Modern Superstitions, they completely get their USP - that being the outre vocal talents of lead singer Nyssa Rosaleen. Name your cliche - charm the birds from the trees/set light to a thousand dreams yada yada, on the evidence of All The Things We've Been Told our heroine has a set of pipes which has the range and power to tempt major label execs into opening up their cheque books.

All of this makes the fact that her colleagues insist on pitching such derivative indie toss at her all the more mystifying. Most of the half dozen songs on this, the trio's debut EP, are strictly jangling, gangling guitar based slices of teen angst which may remind you that The Long Blondes were always better in concept than they were in execution (Except of course for Giddy Stratospheres!).

Only two songs here escape the dumper: Visions of You rocks with just the correct amount of garage swagger, whilst closer Mercy Line has a vaguely sixties feel that goes some way to erasing the memory of what went on before. It's yet more proof - not that any more is needed - that the influence of Debbie Harry still overshadows most twenty first century attempts to escape it's event horizon, but don't be surprised to see Ms. Rosaleen snake charming in a more exciting musical vehicle sometime in the near future.


Andy Peterson