Prism Shores – Softest Attack

Montreal’s Prism Shores enjoyed a breakthrough of sorts with last year’s endearing Out From Underneath, a very decent record that wore its influences (C86, indie pop, shoegaze) with both transparency and pride. Ultimately, the quartet’s enthusiastic embrace of every corner of their record collection proved to be both a blessing and a curse—Out From Underneath’s diversity kept me engaged, but it also made me wonder what kind of band they really wanted to be.

Softest Attack addresses this, not by narrowing its focus, but by strengthening its quality across the board. It’s a much more accomplished record, and while Prism Shores still throw the proverbial kitchen sink of influences into the mix, a burgeoning identity is evident throughout.

The hooks come thick and fast, with the shoegaze/power pop fusion “Kid Gloves,” the Lemonheads-esque “I Didn’t Mean to Change My Mind,” and the soaring indie rock of “Gossamer” all making an early impression. Elsewhere, “Nothing to Find” evokes the shambling spirit of Beat Happening, while the shoegaze-adjacent “A Faster Gun”—a Wrens reference I hope—confirms that Prism Shores can execute slower tempos without diluting their charm.

Softest Attack is a wonderfully nostalgic record for fans of ’80s and ’90s independent music. It truly sounds like an analogue independent release, buzzing with energy and bursting with ideas. Scott “Monty” Munro deserves immense credit for a production job that propels this majestic album beyond its myriad influences and into the indie pop stratosphere.

Softest Attack is out now via Meritorio Records and Having Fun (Canada).