Montreal trio Population II makes a convincing case for keeping progressive rock unruly. Maintenant Jamais is their third album, released through Bonsound, and producer Dominic Vanchesteing gives the band’s rough-edged attack a tighter frame without sanding away the force. Pierre-Luc Gratton’s drums and voice push against Tristan Lacombe’s guitar and poly keys, while Sébastien Provençal’s bass and mono keys keep the whole thing moving with a strange, muscular balance. The playing is complex, but it rarely feels stiff.
Prévisions rolls forward with a supple motion before snapping into the instrumental Macavélique rock. Haut-fond and Cardinaux lean into elegant prog, while Mariano (Jamais je ne t’oublierai) and homme étoilé bring strong melodic hooks into the mix. Elsewhere, Le thé est prêt slows the pulse for a languid groove, and La Trippance and Rédemption naturelle hit with blunt, heavy energy. The band’s shared taste for Soft Machine, MC5 and L’Infonie comes through, though the album sounds shaped by three players who know exactly when to leave space and when to pile on. A good pick for anyone after psychedelic rock with odd turns, sharp dynamics and enough melody to pull you back in.
