Women and Children fuse their folk-pop rock ‘n roll mix with a darkly poetic drive, tilling through their latest full length, Paralyzed Dance, Tonight. The album’s 14 tracks journey through different styles and moods, from the somber ambience of Mazzy Star to the sensual glow of ‘60s French pop to the arty tendencies of Warhol’s new wave. Shining by way of simple melodies and a no-frills production, Women and Children draw themselves like a minimalist painting- raw, bare and beautiful.

Faint screams and croons in the background fill this album with vigor and detail. Coupled with vocalist Cheryl June Serwa’s deep vocal drone, conjuring the legendary Nico, the production warrants comparison to The Velvet Underground.

From the depths of an insolent world, Serwa sings “apples dream of being oranges,” delivering the line with her ferocious tune-carrying ability, as if piercing through clouds shadowing an otherwise gorgeous afternoon.

While Serwa’s captivating tone is a highlight, it is only accentuated with the amalgamation of crisp guitar strums and aggressive plucking, alongside violin and piano riffs from her band mates. Together with Serwa, members Kevin Lasting, Jamie Moon and Oliver Robert lay claim to origins spanning the western hemisphere from Canada to New York, a fact which might help explain their wandering air.

This is an album you’ll listen to with the blinds down to enhance the enjoyment of wallowing in all the forlorn atmosphere- really, it’s a bit like listening to a Smiths album while under the influence of stronger-than-average ‘medication’- except, by album’s end, you won’t be contemplating suicide.