Kover

Assembly (2006)

Aubin Paul

Ontario's Kover (ex-Blue Skies at War) have been a band in receipt of a lot of good vibes over the past year or so. With a traditional hard-worn punk rock sound in the vein of Leatherface and early (and perhaps a bit gruffer) Samiam, these guys deliver plenty of energy and sharp musicianship. Although Assembly is the band's first formal full-length, the most striking thing about Kover is that they sound like a seasoned group of veterans who have been writing and playing together for years and years. Kover stay within a comfortable range of mid-to-fast tempos and allow the stellar guitar playing to do most of the leading.

With an almost uncanny straightforwardness, each song on Assembly delivers one hook after another. "Asphalt and Stone" derives a kind of speedy pleasure directly from the title of the track -- this song is made for cruising along the open road as tall buildings and neon lights streak by. "Extinguisher" takes a different path, slowing itself down until the song becomes a mere series of stop-and-stop guitar chugs, seemingly falling into a pile of splinters, while the following, "It Girl," despite the lame title, winds the crank up again with a soaring, sticking chorus and dramatic, bass-heavy rhythmic bridge. Kover doesn't overstay its welcome on this 12-song release, with the whole thing clocking in around 35 minutes. Assembly is long enough for it to burrow deep into your brain, but short enough to make it an easy candidate for the "repeat button."