Metric's Fantasies Come True

You know, Metric are one of those bands that never seem to get their due and that's just not right. This is a band quietly going about their business, seemingly getting bigger with each album but never really exploding with a surge of popularity. I'm not sure why this is, it's not like they're a bad band, quite the opposite in fact and more importantly they're pretty consistent at releasing good records. Their latest album, Fantasies may or may not see them reaching mainstream success but by all logic it should, because the record is absolutely the strongest thing they've ever recorded.

Sounding something like Stars with a bit more of an edge and a little less electronics, Fantasies is packed to the rafters with sugary sweet melodies, massive hooks, and songs that are stronger than titanium. This album is a long way away from their earlier material and sounds mature and thoughtful whereas the band relied on their exuberance and charm to carry them. They've grown so much as a band that the songs on Fantasiesare instantly accessible and are so memorable that a five-year old would have no problem singing them back to you. It's like their songwriting ability has been amped to the tenth power and when the chorus for, "Sick Muse," reaches skyward, you can't help but jump up and down with it because they've reeled you in.

Not only have the songs matured but so has singer Emily Haines voice. Truth be told, Emily's voice sells itself on just about every song here and that's where the battle is won. She's got the kind of voice that's as seductive as it is powerful and when she slides her way across a bridge or a chorus it's almost impossible not to melt right where your standing. Like much of Fantasies, she too has come a long way. In fact, that's really what so much of Fantasies is about, maturity and growth and as a result the record is stupendously enjoyable.

From the uber catchy, "Help I'm Alive," to the silently slinky, "Twilight Galaxy," Fantasies never ceases being good. Having spent a lot of quality time with this album, it's easy to say that Metric truly deserve the mainstream success they've always just missed. Fantasiesis a fantastic indie dance pop record that's as energetic as it is attentive and focused. This is a group that clearly know how to write a single and they know that so well they've just about written an albums worth on Fantasies. Highly recommended stuff.