There’s a whole genre of music out there called “landfill indie”. Picture four twenty-something guys with guitars, shaggy haircuts, and big dreams to relive the glory days of Pavement. The rest, we feel, is self-explanatory.

Many a record has been unceremoniously interned between a thousand copies of Hot Tub Time Machine 2 and several decapitated dolls. But there’s hope, friends. The garbage dump’s gaping maw acts as a kind of quality control: if a band’s first album is currently being pawed at by bears, the world is probably going to be spared a follow-up.

Consider, then, just how good Montreal outfit Plants and Animals must be. Now onto their fourth full-length record, the trio’s eclectic brand of indie-rock offers a refreshing take on the genre. So much more than jangly melodies and a 4/4 beat, Plants and Animals’ music is characterised by rousing chord progressions, shifting rhythms and unexpected instrumentation (including, on this record, an empty fridge and an antique guiro.)

Back on the road to promote the new album, Plants and Animals will be swinging into town this Thursday (June 16) to wow Vancouverites with their staying power. Playing a selection of old and new material, Plants and Animals are out to prove just why they’ve been nominated for a Polaris Music Prize, two Junos, and have never set foot on a rubbish heap.

Plants and Animals are at the Imperial on Thursday (June 16)

Follow Kate Wilson on Twitter