Chart Attack

THE SUPERS Mystery On Pop Mountain (Dame/Tri-Pop)
Tuesday April 23, 2002 @ 03:00 PM

The pedal steel guitar that greets you on the opening bars of leadoff track "Get Here Soon" are exactly what you wouldn’t expect from a new Supers record. After the hook-happy, sugary power pop of their debut album, Spklanng!, it was easy to pigeonhole this Toronto foursome into a neatly defined box — Pop music. Obvious influences: The Beatles, Big Star, Sloan. File under "S." End of story, right? Well, it seems the band had you just where they wanted you. Mystery On Pop Mountain is an easygoing, laid-back, acoustic country record that’s more akin to Blue Rodeo’s Five Days In July than Sloan’s Twice Removed. With an upright bass providing the rhythm section, The Supers run through some old songs and new, while adding in two covers to keep you on your toes (yes, that IS a twangy version of ‘80s retro staple, "Take On Me" by A-ha). Spklaang! had a bit of a goofy, light-hearted vibe to it, so it’s nice to see that The Supers can also record heart-aching numbers like "Terminal" and "Only You" that continue to show new layers within the band.

Brian Pascual