Cootie Catcher – Something We All Got

Living in a messy, nonlinear, and a little bit self-involved—because who isn’t—manner, cootie catcher tackles shifting relationship dynamics head-on on their second LP. Engaging in some wish fulfilment, the Toronto four-piece weather the storms of life with a bright outlook. Their zestful nature largely stems from their joyously sticky indie pop, which teems with layers of electronic quirks. There’s a song here called “Puzzle pop,” for example, and you best believe that it lives up to the name.

While their use of programmed beats and glitchy synths could easily distract, cootie catcher often pulls it off when they downright shouldn’t. Take the breakneck jangle of “Quarter note rock,” in which they juxtapose turntable scratches and idiophone-sounding percussion over life-affirming, but also deadpan, singing brought by vocalists Nolan Jakupovski (guitars), Anita Fowl (bass), and Sophia Chavez (synths). The band’s great ear for a hook and good-natured charm often remind me of early the Go-Betweens, a longtime favourite of mine, who also played to each other’s strengths. The similarities to that band’s laconic insouciance are especially evident on “Wrong Choice,” where left-field guitar plucking complements Jakupovski’s rueful humor.

Little surprises abound throughout Something We All Got, which, heard in sequence, hits with an intense burst of energy and euphoria. And while that giddiness takes many forms, from folky (“Puzzle pop”) to fanciful (“Gingham dress”), cootie catcher’s tightly wound arrangements help prevent the more playful moments from becoming grating. Their burst of creativity comes to life in a lively tapestry of moods, both musically and thematically, but they make sure to balance the fun with genuine sincerity.

Something We All Got is out now via Carpark.