The Stills: Out with the Old

The Stills. hide caption

toggle caption

Between its first and second album, the Montreal pop-rock band The Stills not only redefined its sound, but also altered its lineup, in the process distinguishing itself from its peers. The group's debut, Logic Will Break Your Heart, placed The Stills alongside similar peers such as Interpol and The Strokes, but it never enabled the band to stand out.

While recording their sophomore full-length, guitarist Greg Pauquet left the group and then-drummer Dave Hamelin moved to the guitar and tackled lead vocals. The Stills also invited Liam O'Neil and Julien Blais, both part of the touring lineup, to become permanent members. The shuffle was exactly the jolt the band needed. Without Feathers was released in March and revealed a new sound for The Stills -- one heavily influenced by rootsy '70s rock bands, while still retaining traces of the style that won the group exposure in the first place.