Alvvays

Alvvays formed in Toronto, led by Molly Rankin's gift for writing melodies that sound simultaneously nostalgic and immediate. Rankin and guitarist Alec O'Hanley construct songs that layer jangly guitar pop over a foundation of shoegaze textures, with heavy reverb and chorus pedals creating a shimmering wash beneath vocals that cut through with unusual clarity. Their 2014 self-titled debut produced Archie, Marry Me, a near-perfect distillation of their approach — bittersweet lyrics delivered over chiming guitars drenched in effects. The follow-up Antisocialites refined the formula, while 2022's Blue Rev pushed deeper into shoegaze territory, with denser arrangements and noisier guitar tones that recalled Ride and Lush. O'Hanley's Fender Jazzmaster is central to the band's sound, its offset body and floating tremolo lending itself to the sustained, reverb-heavy tones that define Alvvays' guitar palette. The band's ability to embed genuinely sophisticated pop songwriting within walls of guitar noise places them at a rare intersection of accessibility and textural ambition. Their live shows are louder and more aggressive than their recordings suggest, revealing a band rooted in shoegaze's volume-as-texture philosophy.