The Cliks

Snakehouse (Tommy Boy/Silver Label)

By Steven Almond

published: July 12, 2007

The sophomore effort from this Toronto quartet features snarly, swaggering three-chord rock that is so perfectly executed you'll want to set aside a whole afternoon to stomp on photos of old lovers. Singer/guitarist Lucas Silveira has drawn a gazillion comparisons to Chrissie Hynde, but Silveira is a better singer, with a soaring tenor that sounds more like k.d. lang in a nasty mood.

Much has been made of the group's unusual lineup. Silveira is a transgender man, and her backing bandmates are lesbians. Get over it. All you need to know about the Cliks is what you hear. "Oh Yeah" is the most brutally gorgeous kiss-off song of the decade, and "Complicated" boasts the galloping energy of a stallion that has broken for open ground. If Justin Timberlake ever hears the Cliks' cover of his hit "Cry Me a River," his penis is going to climb up inside his body and never come out. Yes. — Steve Almond