Souvenir
Collapse
Independent souvenirhfx.bandcamp.com
Singer and guitarist Dave Banoub couldn’t sing the right note if his life depended on it, but Souvenir’s formula works well, regardless. They spend much of Collapse emulating the amped-up garage rock of Vancouver’s Ladyhawk before veering into 90s alt-rock sludge and ultimately ending on “The Long Way,” a leisurely cruise around their hometown. Lyrically, this is a dour affair; song titles include “Blood from A Stone,” “I’m Leaving,” and “Heavy Weather.” The surprising star of this record is its several guitar solos — not a single cringe-inducing one in the bunch.