The Paper Cranes

Turns out Hot Hot Heat weren't the only ones buying Cure records in Victoria, British Columbia 10 years ago; the Paper Cranes' Ryan McCullagh was surely standing next to them in line. But instead of dressing up his heart-attack yelp in white belts and poofy hair, McCullagh opts for seaside music-hall melancholy: bouncing-ball piano lines, sock-hop clap-along rhythms, and a barely there background chorus of "oooh ooohs," all the more joyously inappropriate to accompany a song that, as per post-punk tradition, venerates the power of love in the most threatening, despairing terms. If you're not afraid to admit your favorite Cure song was "Love Cats"; if you think Paul Weller hasn't written a classic song since "A Town Called Malice"; or if your favorite part of Funeral is the last minute of "Wake Up" where the Arcade Fire go all northern soul, then the Paper Cranes could be your new favorite band. [Stuart Berman]

(Four out of Five Stars) - Pitchfork Media

Victoria, BC's the Paper Cranes have a thing for melody. I'm talkin' big coursing lines of tune that sound like they were written on huge sheets of paper in thick permanent ink, steered by equally assertive four-on-the-floor drums (James Watson) and bright piano fills (Miranda Roach-McCullagh). They've got some clear Smiths/Cure influences, and singer/guitarist/songwriter Ryan McCullagh often delivers the same urgent quaver as Spencer Krug of Wolf Parade. (For proof, check their single I'll Love You Til My Veins Explode.) But this EP is optimistic and spirited to such a degree that you'll happily shrug off the similarities. New Pornos/Tegan 'n' Sara producer Howard Redekopp and the Rapture collaborators Run-Roc raise the production bar on a promising debut.

The Paper Cranes swoop into the Comfort Zone Friday (March 3) as part of NExT.
- NOW Magazine

This week's feature: The Paper Cranes

The Paper Cranes, Halcyon Days (Unfamiliar)

WHO

Poppy Victoria quintet.

DISCOGRAPHY

Veins (Unfamiliar, 2006)
Halcyon Days (Unfamiliar, 2008)

IN A NUTSHELL

Halcyon Days starts off with a smash-in-waiting, and then follows it up with nine more of them.

THE STORY

My initial reaction to Halcyon Days was that it showed The Paper Cranes to be the gutsiest band in Canada. After all, it took a lot of courage for them to kick off their debut full-length with "I'll Love You Until My Veins Explode", the song that was the unquestionable highlight of their debut EP, Veins, and a big reason for why the band has earned rave reviews from some pretty impressive quarters.

By the time you reach the third or fourth song, however, it becomes apparent that the band aren't just trying to start off on the right foot. Rather, "I'll Love You Until My Veins Explode" is there because the band want to show that it's no fluke, that they're more than capable of following up with nine other songs that are just as strong.

Luckily for The Paper Cranes, it's a move that pays off. Over the half hour, they show consistently that they have the songwriting chops to both recapture the Cure-via-Hot Hot Heat (circa Make Up The Breakdown, of course) vibe of "Veins Explode", and take it in exciting new directions. Songs like "Rabbit In A Snare" and "100 Years War" are irresistably catchy, upbeat pop songs that do a great job of combining post-punk rhythms with breezy piano and frontman Ryan McCullagh's Robert Smith-influenced vocals, while songs like "Cobwebs" and "Milkrun" show a slightly darker side (but not so much so that it becomes possible to easily shake either song from your brain).

There's no question that Halcyon Days would've been a spectacular disaster if The Paper Cranes hadn't been able to follow "I'll Love You Until My Veins Explode" with at least a few more songs of that calibre. Few, however, would've anticipated that the band had it in them to surpass that standard to such an amazing degree. The Paper Cranes have loads of talent, and it's all on display here. - I heart Music (Blog)

The Paper Cranes / Halcyon Days (Unfamiliar)

I'd almost forgotten that I reviewed the Paper Cranes' debut EP Veins a couple years ago, though re-reading that piece doesn't do much to remind me what I thought of it. I seemed rather fixated on singer Ryan McCullagh's yelping and while yes, his vocals on the full-length will be a comfort for those who seek no cure for clapping hands, saying yeah or shouting out loud, they're no longer the object of fixation for me. Maybe I've grown, maybe he's grown, but either way it's the songs and not the singing that stuck in my head this time around. They're no longer easily pigeonholed as new wave or post-punk or whatever label jaggy guitars and, um, yelpy vocals usually garner - they're still obviously children of the '80s but there's a melodic sophistication that mines a more timeless vein of pop songcraft.

The Paper Cranes play the Wrong Bar this Thursday night, March 6. Yes, it's during Canadian Music Week. No, it's not a Canadian Music Week show. And no, this is not the same band that's opening for R.E.M. at SxSW next week - that's a different Papercranes. Oh the difference a space makes. - Chromewaves.net v7.0 (Blog)

The Paper Cranes
Halcyon Days
By Travis Richey

One year after the release of their self-titled EP, Victoria’s the Paper Cranes are certainly ushering in a golden age. The band’s efforts to date have paid off, making them a vital part of Victoria’s 100-mile musical diet. Having toured and landed favourably in towns and cities all across Canada, the ripple effect can be seen in their growing fan base. The Crane’s latest release, Halcyon Days, finds the band in fine form, comfortable with their sound but expanding their horizons just enough to keep things exciting. The promising debut features “I’ll Love You Until My Veins Explode,” which is still catchy as hell a year after it’s initial release, a few other re-recorded gems and several new tracks all jockeying for a position on a favourites play list. The sun never sets on cool and the Cranes are currently one of the island’s finest exports. Maintaining that cool, however, will be a full-time job. Here’s hoping that more shows and exposure will keep the Paper Cranes sufficiently ablaze in the light of day. (Unfamiliar) - Exclaim Magazine

The Paper Cranes: Halcyon Days

BY Sarah Liss November 01, 2007

Paper Cranes singer Ryan McCullagh has a clipped yelp of a voice, a quivering hiccup straight from the Robert Smith School of Lovesick Mania. “I’ll Love You Till My Veins Explode,” which leads off the Victoria quintet’s solid Halcyon Days LP, matches McCullagh’s proclamations of monumental desire — couched in terms of a thousand-strong flock of origami birds or battles of Homeric proportions — with taut 4/4 piano chords and sharp, silvery guitar lines that make it hard not to write off his band as a well-meaning bunch of Cure acolytes. But the Paper Cranes’ debut full-length for Greg Ipp’s Unfamiliar label gathers depth and momentum after the first few tracks. The whoa-oh-oh chorus and grainy organs on “Milkrun” hint at ‘60s soul, while the stumbling, bluesy piano that supports McCullagh’s cleaned-up vocals make “Lover’s Leap” sound like Elton John binging on art rock. And while Howard Redekopp’s thoughtful production helps prevent even the poppiest songs from sounding too saccharine, the most interesting tune here is the least melodic — the curious “Horse Track,” a relentless tangle of sharp riffs and mournful melodica reminiscent of Q and Not U’s Power. - Eye Weekly