Streaming Audio Killed the Video Star: A critical glance at Myspace band The Choir Practice

Alongside such universal facts as 'triangles are three-sided' and 'this post backfired horribly' is the irrefutable truth that when reading reviews of The Choir Practice you will find comparisons to Langley School Music Project, The Polyphonic Spree, The Mama's and The Papa's and The Beach Boys. Every last one. Actually, Connie astutely pointed out in her live-review.
She says that

...Reviews keep touting [The Choir Practice] as the grown-up Langley Schools Music Project (just because they're a choir?).

To which I reply Yes. Yes, that's exactly why: because that's the primary basis of their entire identity. They're an indie band who decided to drop the bass and replace instrumentation with vocals on top of existing vocals. They're a band whose clear overriding element is not eclectic complexity but straight forward vocal syncopation.

"But wait!" cry the Choir Practice fanbase of three, lower lip jutting out in consternation "you're ignoring the jangly 1960's atmosphere! the surburban gospel-folk intonations!" Of course I'm not denying any of that, but those elements are by and large bi-products of being a choir. The combination of sing-a-long handclapping and call and reply vocals are hardly a sound limited to the sunshine nostalgia of the '60s. Even while they do have some kind of atmospheric vocal layering, their structural composition doesn't stand out enough to warrant heavier analysis, following the same A B A B musical format of any run-of-the-mill indie band.

It's in their concept that they stay on top as a moderately intriguing band. While we're swamped with second-hand imitations of Broken Social Scene's and DIY party band residue from Toronto, The Choir Practice are a genuine and individual voice (voices?) within Vancouver. Not because of what they're doing but because of how they're doing it.