Andy Shauf – The Party

The Party is the ANTI-Records debut for this Canadian songwriter, who grew up in small-town Saskatchewan.

Awkward characters show up »Early to the Party« and either reveal life-changing secrets (»To You«) or try their hardest to reveal nothing at all (»The Magician«). In »a city the size of a dinner plate«, everyone knew the guy who keeled over dead after smoking what he promised would be his last pack of cigarettes »(“Alexander All Alone«). The girl dancing by herself, unselfconsciously, in the middle of the room, with the »Eyes of Them All« upon her. One moment you’re dancing with someone who bears an uncanny resemblance to your ex (»Martha Sways«), and later you start slagging your best friend as way of endearing yourself to his recently dumped ex (»Quite Like You«).

Did that all really happen in the same night? It certainly happens in the space of this tightly narrated thirty-eight minutes, all set to ornate arrangements of fuzzed-out guitars, string sections, clarinets and dreamy synths, all draped over delicate piano, acoustic guitars and rainy-day drums.