Jetplanes of Abraham Soar Above the Rest Jonathan Migneault

Last night I saw The Most Serene Republic at Zaphod Beeblebrox, an awesome Ottawa venue named after the President of the Galaxy in Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. I had heard a few songs from the band's tour-only (sort of) EP, Phages, and was excited by a work that hinted at a more mature and proficient musical outfit. Regrettably, their live show was more akin to Underwater Cinematographer, an album that I'd wanted to love but was ultimately underwhelming. It seemed they were just going through the motions, without showing even a hint of energy on stage. Their music, the ubiquitous brand of indie rock/pop that has been done much better by other bands, including their label-mates Broken Social Scene. Like most things in life there were some positives to be taken from the show. These could be summed up in three words: Jetplanes of Abraham. It was only the Ottawa band's second show, ever, but they displayed a level of energy and had a sense of fun that the headliners clearly lacked. Jetplanes of Abraham are a newly formed band that have only a MySpace page and some nifty posters to their name (the latter of which can be found at their shows). In a short time they've proven to be one of Ottawa's more promising bands. The septet was formed with members from three of Ottawa's best bands: Kingston Fog, For the Mathematics and Turning Into Salt. The members' diverse indie pop, post-rock, classical and alternative rock backgrounds have been combined into an awesome musical package. Jetplanes of Abraham steers away from For the Mathematics' heavier fare, instead blending the pop and classical sensibilities of its other founders - resulting in a sound similar to that which has prospered in Montreal's pop scene through the myriad of Arcade Fire connections. An EP or even an album release is surely imminent. In the meantime, you should visit their MySpace and listen to the song "For Now", which is only a tentative title from a rough jam session recording. I cannot post it here as it is not yet downloadable. It was among the best songs from their live set and comes highly reccommended. Download: The Most Serene Republic - Emergency Performance Art Piece Kingston Fog - Astronaut's Wife Turning Into Salt - Angels Cut the Angles For the Mathematics - Delay the Fiasco Buy: The Most Serene Republic - Phages