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Disc Review

The World Provider

Hard Feelings (Imperial Arts & Letters)

By Evan Davies

The World Provider frontman Malcolm Fraser’s croon that floats halfway between heartfelt sincerity and cartoonish parody and omnipresent slacker falsetto make it hard to know just how seriously you should take Hard Feelings, the Montreal-based musician’s second full-length.

Heavy on tongue-in-cheek Casio pop with a substantial nod to Devo, the record has easily the best accompanying packaging in ages in the form of a full-size activity booklet and no shortage of catchy and clever moments in to-the-point songs that rarely make it past the three-minute mark.

Keeping things short and sweet works best for Fraser and his band on the singalong-friendly title track and This is Hochelaga, and the record as a whole is just really, really fun. Having Feist and members of the Besnard Lakes as guests doesn’t hurt either.

Top track: Valentine (featuring Feist)

The World Provider play the Drake Saturday (November 29).

NOW | November 26-December 3, 2008 | VOL 28 NO 13

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