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Alvvays On World Cafe

Alvvays inside the World Cafe Performance studio
Galea McGregor
/
WXPN
Alvvays inside the World Cafe Performance studio

You might remember the band Alvvays for its hooky song "Archie, Marry Me,"the breakout single off its 2014 self-titled debut album. The strength of that song turned the unknown band from Toronto into instant indie darlings.

Alvvays didn't try to change its sound too much with its new, second album. As lead singer Molly Rankin and guitarist Alec O'Hanley told me in our chat, they kept the same spirit of jangly jams with dark lyrical undertones, filtered through a summer's haze.

Alvvays' sophomore release is called Antisocialites. As you might guess, the band members are fans of clever wordplay. As I found out in our conversation, they're less keen on cats — a shocking dislike for a hip Internet-era band. In addition to alienating cat lovers, Rankin and O'Hanley also manage to dis ice cream drumstick fans and astrology aficionados. Plus, we'll talk about escaping to Toronto Island to write and coming back with a record that truly does feel like you're listening underwater.

Copyright 2017 XPN

Talia Schlanger hosts World Cafe, which is distributed by NPR and produced by WXPN, the public radio service of the University of Pennsylvania. She got her start in broadcasting at the CBC, Canada's national public broadcaster. She hosted CBC Radio 2 Weekend Mornings on radio and was the on-camera host for two seasons of the television series CBC Music: Backstage, as well as several prime-time music TV specials for CBC, including the Quietest Concert Ever: On Fundy's Ocean Floor. Schlanger also guest hosted various flagship shows on CBC Radio One, including As It Happens, Day 6 and Because News. Schlanger also won a Canadian Screen Award as a producer for CBC Music Presents: The Beetle Roadtrip Sessions, a cross-country rock 'n' roll road trip.