Dance rock and misc. instruments

This Edmonton five-piece band describes Free Candy as “a well-conceived quasi-album about death, disappointment, and doin‰’ it.‰” In spite of the downer descriptors, the overarching sound definitely stems from the devil‰’s tango. The Wet Secrets eschew traditional band roles and scrapped the lead guitar in favor of bringing keyboard and bass to the forefront. The lead bass really steals the spotlight and serves as the persisting link throughout the entire album, making the lack of guitar sound oddly natural. Combined with the utilization of trumpet and trombone to create an additional dimension of sound, there‰’s enough of a swing to want to drive you up off your feet and into the nearest space to flail wildly. There‰’s also a strong retro-mod aura to the album, characterized with tracks like “Sunshine‰” and “Chains‰” that ooze 60s vocals and percussion. Even in the low-key track “Nightlife,‰” the soft vocals manage to blend in beautifully with the synth-pop beat to keep the album totally hip, baby. So sit back, light some candles, and clear your room to groove out and get it on.

RIYL: The Arctic Monkeys, Muse, The Last Shadow Puppets
Recommended: 3, 5, 6.