Japandroids Near to the Wild Heart of Life

4 stars out of 5 -- "Drummer David Prowse still plays like Keith Moon weaned on the Ramones, with stoic muscle-beats full of sprints and lunges."
"NEAR TO THE WILD HEART OF LIFE is a Japandroids album, pushed to 11 even in the quiet moments: towering riffs played on maxed-out amps, drums hit with due diligence, big whoa-oh harmonies, passionate, evocative rock n' roll songwriting about girls and alcohol."
"Noisy but built on articulate songwriting, NEAR radiates a sincerity often missing from bands this brash. At a time of doubt and fear, it's screamingly optimistic." -- Grade: A-
"The thrilling 'In A Body Like A Grave' begins with a Who-ish flourish of acoustic rhythm guitar, while King's declamatory vocal weighs up the conflicting pressures of church, work, school, small-town ties, love and inevitable compromises..."
"The more writerly approach hasn't dulled the duo's riffage one iota, even if this is their most musically expansive and easily their cleanest-sounding outing yet -- the better to actually hear the words."
Clash (Magazine) - "It wears its emotions proudly, however ugly some of them might be, while managing to tap in to something that feels bigger than the sum of its parts. A bold and confident return."