Album Review: On Blonde by Yukon Blonde

Yukon Blonde have always flirted with elements of electronic music. Even when their self-titled album came out in 2010 and early press photos found the Kelowna, BC-bred indie rockers sporting long-haired hippie chic like ponchos, leather jackets and flannel (and lots of it), their studio and stage presence was far too refined, groove-filled and focused for them to be lumped in with other more fanciful, seemingly throwback rock acts. That's reflected in "Confused," the opener of Yukon Blonde's most ambitious, captivating and strangely accessible album to date, On Blonde.

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Vancouver-based Yukon Blonde had already demonstrated their way with a catchy chorus and driving, guitar-based indie pop. With an added slathering of synths, their flair and infectiousness are dialed up a notch on the vibrant On Blonde. Gleaming synthesizers announce their presence from the opening, dance-inducing beat of the record on the love-addled "Confused," with its '60s harmonized pop underbelly, warbling spaceship noises, and rhyming ee-ooh-ee-ooh-ee-oohs.

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Some bands go for a mix of sounds on their first couple albums. They implement a sort of “see what sticks” strategy to their musical aesthetic. In truth, this is a pretty bold approach and one that can lead to just as many duds as successes. It is rare a group will produce a surprising and eclectic album which jumps from one musical theme to another seamlessly.

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On Yukon Blonde's third album, the BC indie rockers shift the emphasis away from jangly guitars to embrace synthesizers. They haven't gone completely new wave, but there's a big 80s influence, and many of these tunes would be at home on the soundtrack to an old John Hughes coming-of-age movie. It's a gamble that some of their more rockist fans won't be happy about, but the new sonic elements and approach are integral to the best songs on the album.

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