NEW RELEASE: Punk Shadows by Blood and Glass

There's just something about Montreal duo Blood and Glass' music—something eclectic and entrancing, something that flawlessly brings together a wide variety of sounds into one song. That sound is omnipresent, now more than ever, in the group's brand new album Punk Shadows that drops today. After the group's appearance on The Pressure Drop last night at CJLO and prior to their release show tonight at the Café Cléopatra, I took the time to properly listen to the new album, and find out just why you should care about this wonderful record.

The thing that stands out the most from Punk Shadows is its amazing imagery. It goes beyond the lyrics—the complexity of the composing throughout each track, the unique touch given to each song, and how the tracks interact with each other is what makes it such an interesting record to just sit down and listen to. From the get-go, the opener "Block of Ice" takes us on a smooth journey, guitars and subtle drums growing insistent as the song progresses. It delves into intensity, slows down, picks up the beat again. It's a great introduction to the rest of the album, which experiments with various beats, distorted instrumentalization—that's done properly, mind you—and melodies that are interesting enough without getting redundant.

Highlights include "Nowheresville," another fairly representative track of both the group's versatily as well as the way they still manage to establish a sound that's typically theirs. "Hop the Fence" will definitely catch your attention, with the brass instruments leading the track and its more upbeat composition. Still, the song doesn't lose its slightly wondrous vibe—that's a good thing, and it's what makes every song on Punk Shadows part of a bigger, better, wonderful product.

It's not only the album that possesses that storytelling feeling—the performance matters too, and it differs from your typical concert. Blood and Glass wants you to do more than just hear their music, if you're lucky enough to see them live. "We're big into putting a show on," said Lisa Moore yesterday during The Pressure Drop's interview with the band. She mentioned how every element was part of a "mise-en-scène," from the music to the venue it's performed at. "Everything has to be part of the experience, the show experience," she added.

Curious about the experience, or want to hear a snippet of Punk Shadows? Don't miss Blood and Glass' release show tonight at 8 p.m., at the Café Cléopatra.