Vinyl LP pressing. 2013 release. Tough Age is culmination-rock, the sound of four radical adults with shared decades of experience, chops and killer record collections coming together to create charismatic, idiosyncratic pop songs for the ages. Following the dissolution of Vancouver's beloved surf-punks Korean Gut, frontman Jarrett K. cherry-picked a stacked lineup for his next project. Penny Agamemnon Clark provides a jangly drone-wash of guitar and backup vocals, Lauren Smith holds down the low end with beating-heart bass-lines, and drummer Chris Martell rounds out the dream team. Tough Age tapped fellow Mint Records signee Jay Arner for the production of their debut LP, and the results are immaculate. Emerging from the gritty basement recordings of previous projects, these golden-hued tunes mix head-rush rippers, swoon-worthy slow jams and hooks for days. For fans of timeless songwriting from an off-kilter filter, it doesn't get much better than this.