The New Mendicants are Norman Blake from Teenage Fanclub, Joe Pernice of Pernice Brothers, and drummer Mike Belisky of The Sadies. Finding themselves all living in Toronto, they teamed up for this understated but beguiling work. Opener Saratosa is pure hippy folk and beautiful in its own subtle way, but then they're off mining early the Merseybeat sound for the jaunty Cruel Annette. The stylings change dramatically most every song: Follow You Down could be a Clifford T Ward off-cut, while Shouting Match is Power Pop refined. A standout is If Only You Knew Her, a poignant love song that outgrows its folk beginning. To keep everyone guessing, The New Mendicants finish with a psychedelic stomp. Not everything works as it should, but there's an awful lot to admire here.
Download: Saratosa, If Only You Knew Her