Vancouver’s Tough Age has been rumbling for a decade now, wedding winsome Flying Nun-style chime and jangle to the bruised indie rock frameworks of Guided By Voices and The Fall. On June 16, the trio of Jarrett Evan Samson (guitar/vocals), Lauren Smith (bass/vocals) and Jesse Locke (drums) return with Waiting Here, a 10 track collection that spotlights their direct and catchy songcraft. While single “Time and Again” indulges in R.E.M.-style balladry, “Give It A Day” charges ahead with classic power pop breeziness, propelled by Smith’s bouncy bass line and Samson’s earnest and optimistic lyrics—a perfect song for rolling down the windows and taking a drive to clear out your head.
