Throughout Canadian rock history, Winnipeg has always served as a breeding ground for a lot of the country's most original music.

The Perms are a four-piece band whose honed their chops on the circuit for several years. Comprised by Shane Smith on bass, Chadwick Smith on guitars, drummer Marty Champman and Scott Perry on horns and keys, the band's paid their dues and is ready for the next step, and easily one of the shining stars in Manitoba's independent sceme.

Isolated from the production line mentality of Toronto or the Vancouver scenes, they've generally been able to nurture their sound into a unique combination of rhythms and melodies that are distinct, carefully thought out, and a whole lot of fun to listen to. Their third release, BETTER DAYS, shows the band's maturity in songwriting, as well as featuring a helping hand from Joao Carvalho, Neil Cameron and Lloyd Peterson. Together their collective works include the likes of Sloan, Tragically Hip, The Watchmen and Sam Roberts. The ablum is a breath of fresh air, injecting the independent scene with vigor and zest.

The band possesses a quirky charm that mixes of elements of a variety of sounds, blending them all into something truly unique. Probably the most original sound you're bound to hear anytime soon, the album's full of blazing guitar solos mixed in with a pounding backbeat, complimented by of all things, a full horn section.

From the opening of the lead-off "Bring You Down" know you're in for a wild ride, BETTER DAYS is jam-packed with real gems, a treasure chest full of clever arrangements and catchy hooks. The energy is non-stop on this disc, and their just isn't a single lull in production, evidenced by "Saturday Night," "Second Thoughts," "The Comfort of It All" and "Hermit," among others. "Holding On" is a heart-felt ballad that shows the band's versatility, full of honest emotion. But it's the shifting gears in mid-stride that makes the track so appealing, and one of the band's true highlights. They avoid being typecast or labelled, because their music is just too unpredictable to be put into a mold and categorized. They're the Perms, and they play Perms music, that's all.

Their really isn't a single lull on BETTER DAYS. It's well-crafted, thoughtful, and entertaining. Every song is a shining example of how doing things your own way is the key to making a disc that truly stands out above the rest. This band, and the album do just that.