4 albums and a sabbatical later, Montreal band Tops is finally poised for stardom
CBC Music | CBC Music | Posted: June 24, 2020 10:00 AM | Last Updated: September 10, 2020
Lead singer Jane Penny talks to host Saroja Coelho in the 4th episode of CBC Music's The Radar
Update: CBC Music has launched a new series called CBC Music's The Intro, which brings essential emerging Canadian talent to the world. The series was originally produced under the name CBC Music's The Radar but changed in respect of the work of other content makers in the space. You can learn more about The Intro here.
Montreal dream-pop band Tops has been releasing jangly hook-laden pop songs since 2012.
The four-piece band's catchy, danceable songs cover topics ranging from casual intimacy, crumbling relationships and new love, among other themes of interpersonal existence.
Lead singer Jane Penny's breathy vocals are both nostalgic and celebratory and float effortlessly on David Carriere's guitar licks, Riley Fleck's drums and Marta Cikojevic's keyboard lines. Adam Byczkowski also joins on bass for this session.
Tops' fourth album, I Feel Alive, was released on April 3 and came after a sabbatical where all band members were living in different cities. The separation built energy and when the band members reconvened in Montreal they were refreshed with creativity and passion. They embraced the pressure of a deadline and laid down the bones of the album before decamping for a month in Berlin.
In episode 4 of The Radar, streaming above, Tops singer Penny chats with CBC Music Mornings' host Saroja Coelho about the experience and the band plays the title track of their latest album and "OK Fine Whatever."
Watch episodes 1 to 3 of The Radar: