Grand Theft Bus - Move Upwards

Grand Theft Bus are a bunch of natively successful Canadian lads, but perhaps due to their almost psychotic identity issues they haven’t made it in the UK. Eclectic simply doesn’t capture such wild swings from heavy prog to upbeat pop, complex math-rock to electro. This would be unforgivable if some of the songs weren’t so good. Despite Do I Have To Dance opening with an appalling thrash intro, it subsides into a sun-drenched rocker like Gomez’s best attempts at emotional ballads. The epic seven minutes that comprise Roses paint an understated glitchy beat against trickling arpeggios and romantic vocals with the repetitive transcendence of Peter Bjorn and John. You get the impression Grand Theft Bus are a bunch of softies but can’t admit it to themselves, so they heap on the pointless aggression. Should they admit to this possibility, they’ll secure for themselves an identity, a consistent album and maybe even Britain’s attention too.