Watch: The Elwins & Luke Lalonde - "Countdown" (Beyonce cover) live

I might have a new obsession: Indie-rock Beyonce covers. As if Beyonce's "Countdown" wasn't good enough, a bunch of enterprising bands and artists have decided to try their hand at the warm fuzzy-inducing pop song. First there was Sondre Lerche as a Christmas gift and now Canadian indie pop quarter The Elwins tackle the song with the help of Luke Lalonde from Born Ruffians. The result: Pure unfiltered awesome. They, like Lerche, change a bit of the words because they're men and want gender-specific correctness but the whole thing is playful indie rock romp that fun and kind of impressive.

The Elwins - And I Thank You (2012)

There's always a little bit of disappointment that happens when you hear a band's best track before anything else. My discovery of Canadian indie pop quartet The Elwins saw me introduced to "Stuck in the Middle" which is without a doubt the strongest track in their rather short discography (and upcoming debut album and a short EP released some years ago). Listening to their latest single and going backwards however assured me that the foursome had some properly utilized potential that might very well be fully released on their debut.

"Stuck in the Middle" is definitely the most disproportionately strong track on the album, the rest of the album is rather good itself. While not quite as overtly catchy or in your face, "Forgetful Assistance", "I Miss You and I", and "Sitting Pretty" are a noteworthy highlight.

The Elwins' debut album is a reminder that every outing can't or won't be absolutely breathtakingly stellar and somehow that's okay. There's enough of the flavorful jazzy colorings that drew me The Elwins along with a much more mainlined pop sound that ultimately ensures that you'll still enjoy yourself. And that's where And I Thank You is truly successful - packed with bright upbeat jams that are guaranteed to put a smile on your face and a noticeable pep in your step. The other tracks might not be able to hold a candle to "Stuck in the Middle" but they at least come close several times and any band that can write such a fun romp most likely has one or two more in them. So until those get realized, And I Thank You is a more than adequate place holder for a band that's only scratching the surface of their true talent. Here's hoping their next record is a step in the right direction.

You can stream The Elwins' And I Thank You over at Exclaim! here.

Watch: The Elwins - "Stuck in the Middle"

Tomorrow sees the release of Canadian indie pop quartet The Elwins' debut album And I Thank You and to ring in the release, the band recently put out this video for, probably the catchiest song on the album, "Stuck in the Middle". It's jampacked with ill-fitting space helmets, lasers, and robot overlords. Also dogs. So if anyone of those is your thing, you're in for a real treat and if not? It's still a fun music video that strangely fits the upbeat jam.

Watch the video for The Elwins' "Stuck in the Middle":

Pitstop: The Elwins

(Photo by Rachel Lee Tentcher)

You might remember my mentioning Impressionable Youth Media's Sound Effects compilation that featured that brand new Wildlife tune "Year in the Dark", well indie-pop quartet The Elwins were also featured on that eclectic all-Canadian release.

Releasing their debut EP in 2008, this year will mark the subsequent debut album's release. What struck me about The Elwins, most notably in their new single "Stuck in the Middle" (featured on Sound Effects), was a jazzy pop style reminiscent of Sondre Lerche. They don't replicate his sound exactly, instead it's just an awareness of the style that's artfully filtered into their music. Even going back to their self-titled EP, there's hints of it "Dear, Oh My", "Kristy May", and "Larry Pastorus". Other than their jazzy coloring, The Elwins craft fun toe-tapping numbers teeming with high amounts of energy cradled by guitarist Matthew Sweeney's easygoing, tuneful vocals. Enough to hint at their debut, And I Thank You, being a highly enjoyable affair.

Get a taste of The Elwins with their debut self-titled EP, latest single "Stuck in the Middle", and recent live session they did for Exclaim!:







The Elwins debut album And I Thank You is out February 21st.