On Shake the Pounce, Vancouver’s Gaze continued their sweet variety of all-girl indie pop. Miko Hoffman and Megan Mallett continued to share vocal and guitar duties, while Rose Melberg, also of the Softies, checked in on drums and backing vocals. The songs were recorded by Calvin Johnson in early 1998 at Dub Narcotic Studios. The disc kicks off with the jangly and blissful “So Early to Tell.” Throughout their existence, the band covered thoughtful and bittersweet themes in a festive and poppy style. The intertwining vocals charmed twee pop fans with straightforward and unabashedly simple songs like “Tea or Coffee.” “Mr. Oh So Suave & Debonaire” is possibly the best sample on this disc of the band’s approach to songwriting. The songs often seem to be cathartic, as most artwork often is. On track seven, the band covers Game Theory’s “Nine Lives to Rigel Five.” Keyboards find their way onto “Sunday Night Waterworks,” adding to the melancholy nature of the song’s narrative. Gaze’s disarming melodies reach an epic level on “A New Home” and “In the Midst,” backed by modest instrumentation. The band sets themselves apart by combining melodic pop with a punk mentality. – Stephen Cramer
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