The International Pop Exchange is a great idea, the logical extension of which can only be world peace through the mutual understanding brought by shared popular culture. It's also a great way for Endearing Records to flog their own bands to non-Canadian audiences, but there's no shame in that either.

The IPX takes the form of split CDs, each featuring two bands with a similar style from different parts of the globe. Spearmint and Novillero are linked by a kind of vague mod/Britpop influence, with London-based Spearmint placing the emphasis on the tuneful and whimsical end of the spectrum rather than freakbeat lunacy. Their songs are perhaps the stronger, with "Thomas" being the most lovable of the bunch, and "Girls With Guitars" taking a suitably nasty swipe at the music industry. Now we have The Ordinary Boys, it's hard to imagine anyone considering Spearmint essential, but the simplicity and directness on offer here is nevertheless a worthy diversion.

Canada's Novillero fill out their sound with horns, lots of backing vocals, power chords and psychedelic bits. They're more strident in their approach, as the propulsive rhythm section on "The Art Of Carrying On" surely attests, and certainly over the course of their four tracks offer more colour, but there are moments, as on "The Rules", where they over-egg the cake a bit, come over a touch too chirpy and buoyant and forget where they left their edge. The psychedelic, organ-flushed "Let's Pull Over Here (Boy Version)" is their best track, despite disturbing echoes of The Dukes Of The Stratosphear's "Mole From The Ministry" in some of the chord sequences, and it brings things to a satisfying close with some fantastic Ennio Morricone mariachi horns. -Ian Martin, Nov.28.04.

International Pop Exchange No.5