The Craft Economy – Is On Your Side (independant)

The Craft Economy formed as a result of an Art Brut concert in 2005, but are a bit too late for the ’80s dance rock revival. That’s not to say the Toronto group’s record doesn’t deserve a spin at your next house party, though. Their five-song EP contains upbeat, danceable ditties packed with converging call and response vocals from Kostantine Kurelias and Linda McKenny. On jangly, bilingual toe-tapper “The Tonic” the band incorporate the lyrical poetry of forgotten francophone sexpot Mitsou (”Bye bye mon cowboy/Bye bye mon gigolo”). The synth lines and repeatable “eeny meeny miny moe” vocals on “Colpoy’s Bay” are criminally catchy. This is a record that will surely secretly impress the skinny-jeaned, keffiyah-wearing hipster in your life, but considering it’s almost 2009, they’ll never admit it.