This cool CMW showcase features two of the country’s breakout bands. Formed around the Montreal-based husband-and-wife team of Jace Lasek and Olga Goreas, the Besnard Lakes create a grandly symphonic rock sound comprised of hazy, multi-tracked vocals, crashing guitar chords, vintage keyboards and lumbering rhythms. It’s like a tag-team event featuring the Beach Boys, the Flaming Lips and My Bloody Valentine. Consequently, none of this year’s releases so far have sounded as epic as the group’s second album, The Besnard Lakes Are the Dark Horse (2007). Staying on that equine theme, Are We Not Horses (2006) is the wonderfully idiosyncratic third album by Rock Plaza Central. Founded by singer-guitarist Chris Eaton (also the author of two novels for Insomniac Press), the Toronto group plays a whimsically odd brand of roots rock. Rock Plaza Central recently applied the same stratagem to a cover of Justin Timberlake’s hit “SexyBack,” scoring a much-blogged-about cult hit in the process. Considering the attention both bands have enjoyed lately, neither will be a dark horse for much longer.—Jason Anderson