t’s fitting that the panther is a part of the greater cat family, as Step-Panther have seemingly used up a fair share of their nine lives. With vocalist/guitarist Steve Bourke the sole constant, the latest version of the lineup sports Nuns drummer Daniel Radburn and a fresh face in bassist Zach Stephenson (also of Hockey Dad).
The umpteenth reboot of the band means that there’s a chance at reinvention for the project’s second studio album after years of being the proverbial bridesmaid. Sadly, that’s not what you’ll find on Strange But Nice – it’s simply another batch of slacker guitar pop that takes its cues from acts like Ratcat, Sloan and The Lemonheads.
Certainly, there’s a time and a place for this kind of music – there’s certainly worse ways to pass the time than to mellow out to this record. There is, however, a distinct lack of replay value here, and it might not be long at all before the band fades back into obscurity.
It’s an album that’s ultimately a bit more Nice than it is Strange – which, of course, is fine, but perhaps some weirdness might have taken the songwriting to the next level.
3/5.
