Vancouver has presented the world with so many great bands over the past few years that one wonders if there’s room for another. Enter The Battles, or should we say, re-enter The Battles. 2006 is the year their second record, Tomorrow’s Eager Hands, finally sees the light of day, following the quiet release of their debut, Lycanthropy (released on The Blue Curtain – home to AC Newman, The New Pornographers and Capozzi Park – in 2001).

Cut from the same cloth as The Feelies, The Embarrassment, Bryan Ferry and even Mayo Thompson, The Battles (established 2000) are the latest in a long line of underappreciated purveyors of forward-thinking guitar-based pop songwriting. Stephen Wood, the group’s main force, has an uncanny knack for creating brilliant, anomalous pop tunes; songs with both something borrowed and something new. An erstwhile approach, certainly, but The Battles are undeniably contemporary – ably nestled amongst their friends and neighbors in The New Pornographers and Destroyer. Wood actually cut his teeth wielding the axe for Destroyer, for which he lent his particular sound to the acclaimed Streethawk: A Seduction, Thief and City of Daughters records. The time spent alongside Dan Bejar has, intentionally or not, influenced his approach to songwriting (if only with lyrical appropriations). Like Bejar, Stephen Wood’s songwriting offers nods to craftsmen such as Ray Davies, John Lennon and Robyn Hitchcock. Unlike others in Vancouver, Stephen’s not afraid to open up and let his love of prog shine.

Not to be confused with other acts that have adopted the “Battles” moniker, The Battles on Soft Abuse do not feature former members of Don Caballero nor the son of an avant jazz legend. Quite simply, Vancouver's The Battles craft timeless pop music of the highest caliber.

Stephen and company are currently hard at work in Vancouver on a double album to follow-up Tomorrow’s Eager Hands. It’s assured that we won’t have to wait another five years for that one…