Quick, Before It Melts.

How very timely that I should have taken a stroll down memory lane the other day with my 500th post and revisited one of my favourite posted tracks: The Awkward Stage's "Heaven Is For Easy Girls." Timely because, as I looked in my inbox today, I found notice that The Awkward Stage is set to return with their sophomore effort, Slimming Mirrors, Flattering Lights (Mint Records, June 10, 2008).

Shane Nelken, the multi-instrumentalist and mastermind behind The Awkward Stage is joined by Tygh Runyan (also of The Beans, and apparently the movie Snakes On A Plane) on lead guitar, percussionist Tony Koelwyn (of Bossanova), and Chris Mitchell (of the Vancouver Symphony) on trumpet. Slimming Mirrors... picks up where the pop perfection of their debut, Heaven Is For Easy Girls left off. Judging by the beefed up sound of "Animé Eyes" the proceedings are getting a bit more rock, but Nelken's sharp wit and catchy songwriting remain the cornerstone of what makes this band so great.

If you haven't heard "Heaven Is For Easy Girls" then go back a few posts and check it out (here), and then have a listen and compare to the new material: