Fantasies is Metric’s dream come true. After a bit of a pause following 2005’s rock-leaning Live It Out, the Canadian indie pop act returned in 2009 with the self-released Fantasies, a wild success and harbinger of the decreasing importance of major labels in the music biz. Fantasies is more hopeful and lighter in tone than its predecessor and sounds closer to the group's early work, with founding member and singer Emily Haines banging out chords on keyboard more often than her axe. Even if you're not familiar by name, you’ll probably know a few tunes off of this record. “Help I’m Alive” begins with strangled guitar and up-front vocals, angular riffs shredded by klaxon synth freakouts. “Gold Guns Girls” was inspired by the film Scarface, 75mph quasi-motorik drums and endless catchy vocal vamps. The truncated breaks and chirpy guitar riffs of “Stadium Love” found an appropriate home in hockey areas as an official song for the Toronto Blue Jays and Edmonton Oilers. This is the 2017 pressing of the album, which sounds far superior to the original 2009 edition.

• clear splatter colored vinyl
• housed in gatefold sleeve with lyrics
• limited edition
• original release year: 2009
  
• music label: Metric Music 2017

reviewed by Alexandre Français 05/2019