22. August 2025
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Media Review

TOPS – Bury the Key

Florian Buechtingby Florian Buechting

TOPS - Bury The Key

TOPS - Bury The Key
4.3

Rating

 4.3/5

Flyctory.com Pros

  • Lovely vocals
  • Good harmony of vocals and instruments
  • Very nice structured and told stories

Flyctory.com Cons

  • Slight monotony in the songs

Five years after their last record, the Canadian band TOPS are back with a new album. They released Bury The Key on 22nd August 2025. Here is my track by track review.

 

TOPS – About The Artists

TOPS is an indie-rock quartet from Montreal. The Canadian band has been founded there in 2011. However, two band members, Jane Penny (vocals, keyboard) and David Carriere (guitar) are childhood friends and already know each other from their times in Edmonton. They also had a band together before, Silly Kissers. The other band members are Riley Fleck (drums) and Marta Cikojevic (keyboard). TOPS’ debut album release Tender Opposites is dated as of 2012. Thereafter, the band released three more albums. The last one was I Feel Alive, released in 2020.

 

TOPS – Bury The Key – Track by Track

The twelve song album lasts 36 minutes.

1. Stars Come After You

The first song on Bury The Key is the 4:20 minute long Stars Come After You. The song starts very atmospheric and has a dreaming space-style sound. Jane Penny’s high voice is adding towards that feeling. The song rather feels like a pop song with a very individual style. The fine sound reminds me of 1980’s and 1990’s tunes – which I personally appreciate.

2. Wheels at Night

The opener was already the longest song of the album. Thus, significantly shorter listens like Wheels at Night add a speedy feeling. The keyboard parts in this one are more intense. Apart from that, the song has a similar style than the predecessor. The more intense instrumental work and some stronger vocal peak lead to a more present structure, though.

3. ICU2

The Quebec band decreased the waiting time to their 2025 album with four feature single releases. ICU2 is the first one of them. The song feels a bit more virtuous and also has a slightly stronger indie-rock style, especially towards the end of the song. Not mainstream music, but a nicely structured and told story.

4. Outstanding in the Rain

Outstanding in the Rain opens with flute tunes. The keyboard and the drums stay the most important and most driving part of the listen. Outstanding in the Rain does define a nice groove, but still feels very versatile on the melodic side. This turns it to the most present and catching track so far.

5. Annihilation

Annihilation is another song released before the album. I like the complex work on the instruments. Paired with Penny’s voice this leads to interesting sounds and a cool synth-style listen. TOPS do quite intense use of reverb in here as well.

6. Falling on my Sword

Falling on my Sword is the first song, in which the guitars feel to supersede the other instruments. Thus, the fast song has a strong indie-rock touch. It does feel a bit of chaotic towards the end to me, though. Maybe I am simply not the targeted audience.

7. Call You Back

2:12 minutes – you need to concentrate not to miss Call You Back. That would be a shame, as the song presents one of the nicest pop melodies on Bury The Key. Well done, TOPS. A brief, but very nice song.

8. Chlorine

I always enjoy running into song titles which are less usual. Thus, I smiled when I ran into Chlorine. The song is much more than a nice title, though. The energetic pop-rock track is my favorite from the four song releases done before the album. A nice song with a good plot.

9. Mean Streak

Four more songs are ahead on Bury The Key, all of them so far unreleased. Mean Streak is a gently flowing indie narrative. The instrumental side is very intense and well-balanced. I really like this one.

10. Your Ride

Your Ride is only one out of four songs on the TOPS’ 2025 album which exceed a duration of three minutes. I feel it works well. The song starts less interesting to me, bu the “additional” time is well spent by the Canadians. The song has a lovely dramaturgy towards the end. I really like that.

11. Standing at the Edge of Fire

In the penultimate track, TOPS are Standing at the Edge of Fire. There s not too much fire or energy in this song, though. It is a nice energy, the typical dream-pop style of this album, added with some rocking elements, which especially turn up in the middle of the track.

12. Paper House

Paper House is maybe as close as TOPS get to mainstream music in this album. Thereby they still keep their typical way of telling stories. I like the way they do it. And the gentle Paper House is indeed a good farewell from Bury The Key.

 

TOPS – Bury The Key – Spotify

Here is the album on Spotify:

 

TOPS – Bury The Key – My View

TOPS do their thing – and they do it with a high level of talent and expertise. Bury The Key does not deliver too many mainstream bummers, but Jane Perry’s voice and the instrumental skills of her band work very well together. Thus, I really like this one – despite there is some monotony.

Favorite Song: Your Ride

 

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