Like everybody’s favourite ticket hustler, Mike Damone, The Eardrums haven’t forgotten "the magnetism of Robin Zander or the charisma of Rick Nielsen." The Winnipeg three-piece pulls a cheap trick on its four-song We’re Not from Toronto EP, adding crowd noise and audience participation to closing track Mystery Mansion (Live at Budokan). Of course the band isn’t actually big in Japan, but it sounds like it very well could be. The aforementioned song is an anthemic arena-ready rocker, Can’t Say No is a bluesy, groovy White Stripes-esque number, while I Don’t Know What it Is could power Tokyo with all its electronic energy. Obviously The Eardrums want you to want this.

Oh, The Eardrums. From your cheeky sense of humour in the visuals (the album cover features shots of Winnipeg skylines with the CN Tower crudely taped onto it) and the lyrics, your We’re Not From Toronto EP is just what the Canadian music scene needs - a band that doesn’t take itself too seriously. A straight-up rock record with a twist, opener Toronto is a kick in the teeth, announcing the local three-piece as a force to be reckoned with. The disc is incredibly slick for an entirely self-produced/mixed/mastered release. One track, the boisterous Mystery Mansion, claims to have been recorded “live at Budokan” and truly sounds like it. Why these guys aren’t being touted as the next great local rock band is beyond me, so let’s start here.