Superfantastics live up to their name

There's not a whole lot of difference between Choose Your Destination, the new digital-only EP from The Superfantastics, and last year's debut, Pop-Up Book. Both show that the Haligonian duo have a knack for writing catchy, upbeat rock, and both are pretty good. In fact, if you're looking for the stronger effort overall, the EP may have the edge -- even though its creation came only a few months after Pop-Up Book, Choose Your Destination cuts back on a lot of the cuteness that ran throughout the debut, and replaces it with hook after hook. As a song like "Van Gogh" shows, it's a welcome change, and it bodes well for the future.

Unfortunately for The Superfantastics, though, they're still living in a world (of East Coast pop, that is), where one person looms pretty large: Joel Plaskett. This was demonstrated on this past Sunday night at the East Coast Music Awards, where The Superfantastics lost out to Plaskett in the best music video category. They shouldn't feel bad though -- Plaskett owned the night, taking home six ECMAs and showing that, no matter what Wintersleep-lovers may say, he and the Emergency still rule the roost.

Consequently, I figured I should put up some Plaskett to round out the post. As such, here's a concert he did just before Christmas at the Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto, as part of that venue's sixtieth anniversary celebrations. I've never been a huge fan of his music, but even I have to admit that on these songs, he demonstrates exactly why he's in the position he's in.

1. Absentminded Melody
2. Happen Now
3. Lying on a Beach
4. Paralyzed
5. Love This Town
6. Christmas Time in Toronto
7. It's Catching On
8. Snowed In/Cruisin
9. Face of the Earth
10. A Million Dollars
11. Nowhere with You
12. She Made a Wreck Outta You
13. Work Out Fine

Enjoy!