The plinking rise and fall of the keys that drive "Why So Looking Back" move anywhere but backwards. Instead, the track from the Milton, Ontario art-pop group the Most Serene Republic propels boatloads of momentum forward with surging percussion and blistering distorted guitar. But strip the energy-injected exterior and TMSR reveal their inner composure and buried tranquility.

The vocal repartee between frontman Adrian Jewett and vocalist/guitarist Emma Ditchburn ricochets wildly. But they also manage to ally in harmony in order to fight the song's frenetic pace. The blustering swirl stacks tiers of instruments while lyrically damning nostalgia -- in quick bursts the near five-minute tune sprints then slows in a rhythmic rise and fall, careful not to over-exert. Finally, building on acoustic strums, a buried vocal claws upward as a distant, twinkling lead shines, completing the Most Serene Republic's ultimate triumph over the past. Population, the band's second full-length, arrives Oct. 2 via the Arts & Crafts label. 

Now Hear This:
The Most Serene Republic - "Why So Looking Back" DOWNLOAD MP3

On the Web:
The Most Serene Republic at MySpace
themostserenerepublic.com

Talk: Is the Most Serene Republic 'back' to their old tricks or has their sound been reborn?

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