Alvvays are based in Toronto and are, like most things that come out of Canada, scrupulously polite. Those two flicked Vs in the middle of the quintet’s name are a feint – it’s pronounced “always”, in keeping with the sense of romantic longing that saturates their songwriting, as briefly showcased on last summer’s eponymous debut album.
That record was a bewitching half-hour sliver, part of a dream-pop continuum that stretches from current champs Best Coast all the way back to the C86 motherlode. Alvvays have an additional trump card in the form of singer/guitarist Molly Rankin’s piercingly pure voice, which adds a distinctive filigree to their shimmery jams. It’s a variation that has clearly struck a chord, as this gig seems beyond sold out, crammed with fans wearing beatific expressions as they lean into the waves of guitar reverb.
With such a slight album, the set is bulked out with some intriguing bolt-ons. Underneath Us has some of the queasy pitchbend and menace of early My Bloody Valentine. Alvvays also cheekily acknowledge the imminent Burns night and Rankin’s own folk heritage – she’s related to Cape Breton roots veterans the Rankin Family – with some ramshackle synth-pop attempts at a Scottish reel, which fall apart before any country dancing breaks out.
The focus, though, is on their current calling cards: the expansive 6 Music favourite Archie, Marry Me, with its seductive “hey, hey” chorus and Party Police, which combines a spindly guitar line and keyboard atmospherics with enough verve to disguise the obsessional lyrics. For an encore, they cover Out of Reach by cult Brit indie godheads the Primitives, playing it a little slower than the original but perhaps a little louder. It’s a muscular statement of intent: their jangle is massive, and they could be too.
• At Bodega, Nottingham, 26 January. Box office: 0845 413 4444. Then touring.
