Shane Turner Overdrive
Shane Turner Overdrive (Independent)

Shane Turner may be cribbing part of his new project’s name from Randy Bachman’s blue-collar group from the ’70s, but Shane Turner Overdrive definitely doesn’t sound like a meat-and-potatoes kind of band. Sure, there’s a ton of guitar fuzz throughout its eponymous disc, but between a host of giddy hooks and Turner’s fey singing style, the outfit is just too dandy to confuse with the classic CanCon act.

Despite the deftly pounded-out drumbeats and luscious wall of distorted six-strings on “Taped on Walls”, Turner’s tender falsetto runs on the deceptively crunchy cut will inspire more swooning than fist-pumping.

While other numbers like “Good Only on Fridays” keep things dialled in at 11, the minimal, drum-loop-driven “Libra Tapes” brings the adorable duet between Turner and fanshaw vocalist Olivia Fetherstonhaugh to the forefront, only for everything to be cut off abruptly with the sound of a tape click.

Keeping things curt seems to be one of the band’s favourite tricks: only a few of the tracks crack the two-and-a-half-minute mark. Even so, the 73-second-long “Ego Thrown” is stuffed to the gills with punchy power-pop hooks. On the other hand, pump-organ interludes “Cyril Sneer” and “Cedric Sneer” come off as half-baked studio improvs.

But even with its few minor setbacks, Shane Turner Overdrive’s ADD approach to songwriting promises that there will be another quick fix coming up shortly.

Download This: "Taped On Walls"