Rat Bastard

If you make an album that sounds different to what you've done in the past, listeners will complain that it doesn't sound like your previous work. If you make an album that doesn't stray from the path, however, listeners will then criticize you for not having any new ideas. It's getting harder and harder to please anyone any of the time, let alone some people some of the time, so what exactly is the solution? On their third studio album, Vancouver-via-Vernon's Mock Media might have perfected their masterplan: sound like everybody and nobody else simultaneously.While plenty of bands will be afraid to leave their comfort zone out of fear that they'll create something misaligned with their established sound, this is a band that already existed outside of the box from its inception. Theirs is an eclecticism that's strident and uncompromising, with their first two LPs already showcasing a versatility akin to a curated mixtape, as they lifted from post-punk, Afrobeat and classic rock. Rather than zeroing in on any of these specific sounds, Rat Bastard effectively doubles down and pushes them out even further — in turn, creating Mock Media's most comprehensive and cohesive album yet.As such, opener "Mock City Rock" kicks the door down and begins the procession — and you're either joining them, or getting right out of their way. It sports chiming guitars, a barked vocal unison and the kind of bass line that Talking Heads' Tina Weymouth would covet. And that's all within the first 30 seconds. Elsewhere, the title track posits an alternative timeline in which Parquet Courts got really into power-pop, while "City's on Fire" envisions the Clash swapping places with 10cc on their dreadlock holiday. Tellingly, these inspirations never come across as mockery (pardon the pun); instead, they're blended into a multifaceted approach that not only keeps listeners on their toes, but ensures the feet they're attached to are in a constant state of movement.On Rat Bastard, Mock Media have firmly established themselves as one of the great new indie rock hopes. Really, all that they had to do was not live and die by the sword of that genre (or any genre, for that matter) — after all, there's a whole world of music to explore, and isn't it more fun to get out and see it?