One of our Best Albums of 2011 was Adam & the Amethysts’ Flickering Flashlight. Adam Waito’s band’s album was a masterful mix of pop styles combining many influences (from Spector-echo-pop, to 60s’ farfisa organ, to R&B, to plucky folk). But after attaining our prestigious list, the Amethysts subsequently disappeared into the ether. Or so we thought.

From the interwebs we have finally learned that Waito is alive and well in various incarnations (Silverkeys, assisting Julie Doiron, and on solo projects–listen to all below the featured video).  The Waito project that’s particularly grabbed hold of our ears is the Montreal buzz-band, Nancy Pants, which also features singer-guitarist Ohara Hale. The band’s live sets are heralded as must-sees (see below). To get a feel for the band, check out their impossibly catchy fuzz-rocker, Happy, and its bizarre amateur video below capturing a Fairfax Ave. palm tree on fire after a bottle rocket was shot into it (for all you palm tree huggers, the picture above confirms that the palm tree was either nonplussed by the conflagration and roared back to life–or was replaced).

Afterwards, watch the recently-released video for I’ve Got A Crush On You and Everybody Knows It, evidently from their upcoming second album.  We look forward to hearing it and seeing the band live.

Photo: Geneviève Alary