Japandroids

• Post-Nothing [Polyvinyl, 2009] ***
• No Singles [Polyvinyl, 2010] **
• Celebration Rock [Polyvinyl, 2012] A-
• Near to the Wild Heart of Life [Anti-, 2017] ***

Consumer Guide Reviews:

Post-Nothing [Polyvinyl, 2009]
Loud guitar, loud drums, and two guys yelling, sometimes melodically ("The Boys Are Leaving Town," "Wet Hair") ***

No Singles [Polyvinyl, 2010]
Getting their shtick together on three EPs, 2006-2008 ("To Hell With Good Intentions," "Darkness on the Edge of Gastown") **

Celebration Rock [Polyvinyl, 2012]
Kind of heartwarming that it's still possible for a young band to rock out with palpable joy about the pleasures, terrors, and life lessons of the road--the songs of experience thing, as if the road is reality in a way their jobs in Vancouver weren't. Helps that they're a duo--decreases the mathematical likelihood of a member nutting out, increases each member's share of the measly take. Also helps that they're not actually young--around 30 is my guess. Rendering this an escape into youth rather than from it by guys old enough to realize that if they hope to make a success of their hustle they need to turn into something like professionals--tunesmiths, even. A-

Near to the Wild Heart of Life [Anti-, 2017]
Five years after their road album, their next road album, so praise G-d they know more at the end of it than they do at the beginning ("No Known Drink or Drug," "In a Body Like a Grave") ***